KATHMANDU, April 9: NASA International Space Apps Challenge: Kathmandu Hackathon is being organized by ICIMOD within the framework of the SERVIR-Himalaya Initiative supported by USAID and NASA and in collaboration with Young Innovations, a local partner organization.
The event is held at Direction Exhibition and Convention Center Hall (DECC), United World Trade Center (UWTC), Tripureshwor, from April 20-21.
It’s a global event run by NASA in all seven continents that will take place over a 48-hour period.
The program aims to gather 50-60 young innovators –computer engineers, software programmers and IT graduates – from Kathmandu for a collaborative problem solving environment to produce open-source solutions for global challenges using earth observation resources and geo-ICT tools to develop mobile apps, software and hardware, data visualization, and platform solutions.
“The event will provide an opportunity for youth in Nepal to harness the expertise and entrepreneurial spirit of citizen explorers to help address global challenges. Participants will be working with experts from ICIMOD to learn more about the issues facing the region, use their skills and knowledge to develop solutions to pressing problems, especially those that are affecting communities in the Himalaya,” states the event’s press release.
The deadline to apply for Kathmandu Hackathon is April 15, and interested participants can fill out the registration form at www.spaceappschallenge.org/location/kathmandu.
NASA has compiled a list of featured challenges for participants to choose from, and that includes a wide range of topics, including possibilities for software and hardware development, citizen science, and data visualization.
Suyesh Pradhan, Research Associate of Capacity Building Geospatial Solutions at ICIMOD, said, “From the challenges prescribed by NASA, we’ve selected those that are relevant in Nepal. We’ll be guiding young programmers in these work areas with the help of satellites and maps, corresponding expertise of both sides.”
Any project including at least one participant from Kathmandu is eligible for local prizes – first, second, and third prizes of Rs 30,000, 20,000 and 10,000 respectively. The top two solutions will be submitted to NASA for global judging and awards.
One can follow #spaceapps for regular international updates and #spaceapps_ktm for updates on the Kathmandu Hackathon, as well as @spaceappsktm@ICIMOD @MountainGeoPortal or @mobilenepal.
Further details are also available at www.facebook.com/spaceappsktm, www.facebook.com/icimod, www.facebook.com/MountainGeoPortal or www. geoportal.icimod.org/ktmhackathon.
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