Draft curriculum for 201

[wmburke]

SciSpark 202: Algorithms for MCC Search and PDF Clustering using SciSpark

Abstract/Agenda:

We introduce a 3 part course module on SciSpark, our AIST14 funded project for Highly Interactive and Scalable Climate Model Metrics and Analytics. The three part course session introduces a 101, 202, and 303 class for learning how to use Spark for science.

SciSpark 202 is a 1.5 hour session teacing two algorithms representative of the motivation for SciSpark - iterative data-reuse algorithms that share information between multiple stages. We will build on SciSpark 101 and Scala for science programming as an entry-course. The first algorithm will be an iterative graph-based algorithm for identifying Mesoscale Convective Complexes in Satellite Infrared data:

• Whitehall, Kim, et al. "Exploring a graph theory based algorithm for automated identification and characterization of large mesoscale convective systems in satellite datasets." Earth Science Informatics 8.3 (2015): 663-675.
• Implementation of Grab Em', Tag Em', Graph Em' (GTG) algorithm in Python.

We will demonstrate its implementation in SciSpark and discuss future directions.

The second algorithm is a K-means clustering algorithm for identification of Probability Density Functions (PDFs) for Climate Extremes in the North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program (NARCCAP) data:

• P. C. Loikith, J. Kim, H. Lee, B. Linter, C. Mattmann, J. J. D. Neelin, D. E. Waliser, L. Mearns, S. McGinnis. Evaluation of Surface Temperature Probability Distribution Functions in the NARCCAP Hindcast Experiment. Journal of Climate, Vol. 28, No. 3, pp. 978-997, February 2015. doi:10.1175/JCLI-D-13-00457.1.

[wmburke]

@sujen1412 You are also implicated in this task.

The goal is to provide the following info in curriculum202.md

Curriculum outline:

• who is the audience
• what is the level of understanding in the topics of basic topic computer science, scientific computing, and earth sciences
• objectives of the course
• what will they accomplish having done this course
• resources - books and exercises to be developed
• how to we measure success

[wmburke]

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-KX99wH1E6AeFQJTaTwowCMsJknDuJtpPwXNsQswl3Y/edit

[valeriearoth]

Made a new doc so I could refer back to the old doc while working on it: https://docs.google.com/a/utexas.edu/document/d/1z8unGUJmSTV9_518qi5GRGv1e8rnpNjkEhzn-2UsalI/edit?usp=sharing