FIU hosts NASA Space Apps Challenge


FIU graduate students hosted a NASA-sponsored International Space Apps Challenge at the Engineering Center April 21-22.  The global “codeathon-style” event brought together teams from around the world to collaborate on the development of solutions that address critical challenges. Teams from 25 cities, 17 countries and seven continents participated simultaneously.

Members of the Miami Team take a break from NASA Space Apps Challenge held at the Engineering Center April 21-22.

“The Space Apps Challenge was an amazing experience for me,” said David Lagomasino, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Earth and Environment. He and other graduate students with FIU’s NASA WaterSCAPES and Florida Coastal Everglades: Long-Term Ecological Research projects helped organized the event. “The participants learned a lot about earth science from space and readily available public research data, and I had the chance to learn a little bit of computer programming. I hope that all the teams and participants from all around the world continue to be inspired by the innovation and creativity sparked by this world-changing event and bring that enthusiasm for space exploration and environmental and social awareness to their communities.”

The team’s local sponsor, CBIL360, stopped by to congratulate everyone and discussed their commitment to keeping the motivation and innovation that flourished during the Space Apps Challenge in Miami alive. CBIL360, a web-marketing company, offered the team a website that will show off their developed app, WET, as well as show off the team members, and the NASA International Space Apps Challenge.