Speaker: Michael Dales (Energy and Environment Group, Computer Lab, University of Cambridge)
Title: Programming for the Planet: The challenges of repeatable and reproducible computing for environmental sciences
Abstract: As we race to deal with the climate crisis facing the planet, ecologists are increasingly turning to computational analysis, both in the domains of academic research, and in other domains like assessing carbon impact of field projects for carbon offsets. But as if this wasn’t enough, both the expression of computation and the management of the vast amounts of data involved prevent significant hurdles in ensuring that we can generate results that are repeatable, transparent and timely. In the EEG group we are looking at how computer science needs to step in to support ecologists achieve this goal, and this talk will outline the specific challenges we’ve observed working closely with members of the Cambridge Conservation Initiative and avenues we’re taking to solve these problems.