This week, we gathered at NLU Wheeling to celebrate the successful completion of our research under the ScienceCore Heuristics for Open Science Outcomes in Learning (SCHOOL) Project - funded by a NASA ROSES Grant under the Transform to Open Science (TOPS) Training mission.
A major highlight was the visit from Kytt MacManus (Assistant Systems Engineer at NASA, Columbia University, NY), who shared invaluable insights, especially on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and their role in open science, data visualization, and decision-making.
Our research was conducted under the SCHOOL Project, which was funded through a NASA ROSES Grant as part of the Transform to Open Science (TOPS) Training mission. This initiative aims to create open, interactive, and interdisciplinary learning modules that empower students, researchers, and professionals to work with open science principles.
The SCHOOL curriculum consists of several 2.5-hour learning modules covering critical thematic areas such as:
- Water
- Health and air quality
- Natural disasters
- Climate
- Agriculture
- Wildfires
Additionally, the project integrates population and infrastructure themes across all modules. Each module is designed to guide learners through the data science life cycle, demonstrating how to access, store, process, analyze, and communicate open data while adhering to FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable).
The meeting was engaging, insightful, and collaborative, reinforcing the impact of teamwork and open science. A huge thank you to:
🔹 Dr. Antonio Tovar – for his invaluable mentorship and guidance
🔹 Kytt MacManus – for sharing his deep knowledge and traveling to meet us in person
🔹 Akshay Mestry – for his technical expertise and collaboration
🔹 Dhruvil Prajapati – for his dedication and research contributions
🔹 Alex Smagin – for actively leading, collaborating, and contributing to the project’s success
🔹 Eldar Imanbekov – for his dedication and research contributions
Each of you played a crucial role in making this project a success, and I’m incredibly grateful to have been part of this journey with such a talented team.
While this project concludes, the principles of open collaboration, accessibility, and scientific innovation will continue to shape future research. Excited for what’s next!
Let’s keep the conversation going - open science is the future!
Feel free to explore our project and its objectives here: TOPS SCHOOL Project Website
