***Update, Sept. 2nd: videos are online on Coursera: https://www.coursera.org/course/bigdataschool

Welcome to the first JPL-Caltech Virtual Summer School in Big Data Analytics website.

Computational skills and methodology needed for the analysis and interpretation of ever more massive and complex data sets are essential for the scientific and technological workforce in the 21st century.  This virtual summer school addresses this need.

The school will cover a variety of topics, with a focus on practical computing applications in research: the skills needed for a computational ("big data") science, not computer science.  The specific focus will be on applications in astrophysics, earth science (e.g., climate science) and other areas of space science, but with an emphasis on the general tools, methods, and skills that would apply across other domains as well.  The lecturers include computational science and technology experts from Caltech and JPL.

The school will be done entirely on line (i.e., no travel is required), with the lectures delivered through a MOOC mechanism on Coursera, with additional links and other resources provided (see How It Works).  A small number of students will be accepted for more interactive sessions, and the materials will be available on line to anyone, but with a limited interaction capability.

The school will last 9 days (Sept. 2-5 and 8-12), with 4 hours of sessions per day (9 am - 1 pm PDT). The on-line materials will remain available indefinitely.

There is no cost to the student, and no formal credit is offered, but we hope that you will find the knowledge gained worth your time and effort.