Four Weeks REU Training

Introduction to environmental monitoring, sensor data acquisition, and basic data analysis for undergraduate researchers working on the Corpus Christi Bay environmental monitoring project.

Instructor: Byeongseong Choi

Term: Spring, Fall

Location: Nedderman Hall, Conference Room (3rd Floor)

Time: Thursday, 2:00-3:50 PM

Course Overview

This four-week training program introduces undergraduate researchers to the environmental monitoring project in the Corpus Christi Bay region. The training focuses on basic data acquisition, environmental sensing systems, and practical data analysis using Python.

Students will

  • Understand the goals of the Corpus Christi Bay environmental monitoring project
  • Learn how environmental sensor data are collected and stored
  • Access monitoring datasets from multiple sources
  • Perform basic visualization and exploratory data analysis

Prerequisites

  • Basic programming familiarity (Python recommended)
  • Interest in environmental monitoring and data analysis

Materials

  • Data Science and Machine Learning in Chemical Engineering (CMU Chem 06-681 tutorial)
  • Data acquisition references from CMU CEE 12-740
  • Monitoring datasets from UTA sensors and EPA AQS

Schedule

Week Date Topic Materials
1 Project Introduction and Environment Setup

Introduction to the Corpus Christi Bay monitoring project and setup of the data science working environment.
  • Tutorial (Chapters 1–2)
  • Project Overview Slides
2 Accessing Monitoring Data

Loading and visualizing environmental monitoring data using Python.
  • Tutorial (Chapters 4–5)
  • Data Access Examples
3 Reference Monitoring Data

Introduction to regulatory monitoring data and comparison with sensor measurements.
  • Sensor Fundamentals Readings
  • EPA AQS Data
4 UTA Sensor System

Understanding the design and data processing of the UTA environmental monitoring sensors.
  • Sensor System Documentation
  • Data Analysis Examples