A forge of talents

Smart young people falling in love for interdisciplinary science: WebValley, international summer school, since 2001

Cesare Furlanello at WebValley (2017)Fondazione Bruno Kessler

From local to global, since 2001

WebValley is the FBK summer school for data science and interdisciplinary research. Started as a regional initiative for talented high school students from Trentino Alto-Adige SüdTirol, it is now grown as an opportunity for national and international students alike. Since the 1st edition in 2001, more than 300 students (17-19 years old) from all over the world have joined WebValley, thanks to the scholarships offered by FBK and its partners. 

The state of the art in ResearchFondazione Bruno Kessler

Experience Format

The team accepts a challenge by a top scientist collaborator on a theme of strong ethical impact (ecology, medicine, or social needs), and develops in three weeks a complete prototype offering data analytics web resources for decision making

Combining open source tools, FBK research products and creativityFondazione Bruno Kessler

Hands-on scientific research

WebValley is a true research environment, informal and of high quality in resources, competence and organization. It is a great first chance for high school students to get passionate about scientific research. Top international scientists visit the lab, where project activities are developed mostly in teamwork.

Denise Kirschner from UniMichigan at WebValley 2012, From the collection of: Fondazione Bruno Kessler
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In this picture Denise Kirschner from UniMichigan @ WebValley 2012

Collaboration among students is the basis of WebValleyFondazione Bruno Kessler

Team-work

The students develop team-work, collaboration, fast-prototyping attitudes and are exposed to challenging research themes. Informal checkpoint meetings are regularly used to review progress and launch new ideas from the participants.

Teamwork collaborationFondazione Bruno Kessler

Year by year Cha(lle)nge

2005: big pc towers, small monitors, to build WebGIS/mobile solutions for environmental monitoring and explore high performance computing in Linux. 2012 (the NanoWebGIS challenge): Switch to Laptops... 

WebValley alumni word cloudFondazione Bruno Kessler

2016: Deep Learning on a GPU box to predict fruit maturation and quality - a.k.a. FRUITIPY

National and internaztional students are involvedFondazione Bruno Kessler

So far! And what's next?

2017: Project fully based on Deep Learning on Cloud GPU resources

WebValley takes place in TrentinoFondazione Bruno Kessler

The recipe for innovation

At WebValley the newest technologies are combined with data science to solve the project challenge.

Data Science & CultureFondazione Bruno Kessler

From tools to solutions

Students are introduced to Open Source software tools to get empowered in scientific programming, web-mobile interfaces, GIS, databases, data analysis and visualization. As a team, they design and develop a new platform interacting with scientists and problem owners. Students learn to select tools, organize their own work plan, and walk through all steps to the new solution.

A lively and interactive environmentFondazione Bruno Kessler

Soft skills gym

Brainstorming with entrepreneurs visiting the summer camp to review the progress and offer insight is built into the program. Students learn presentation skills and have access to resources to interact with experts from FBK partner Labs, also through teleconference. Results are presented midterm by teleconference to experts and in a public event at the end of the three weeks period to a jury of scientists and entrepreneurs.

Center for Information and Communication Technology - ICTFondazione Bruno Kessler

Made in Trentino

The school is held in a high-tech lab located in a small Alpine village, to demonstrate that web access may support new types of innovative actions also in remote areas, thus combining new technologies and high-quality of life in a natural environment. WebValley is also leisure and sport time in the awesome natural landscape of Trentino Region, Italy.

Involving smart young people in interdisciplinary scienceFondazione Bruno Kessler

Career opportunities

New skills are built while the project is developed, building the bases for future opportunities and new careers in science and innovation.

FBK - Towards a Knowledge-based EconomyFondazione Bruno Kessler

Virtual Reality being tested (2017)Fondazione Bruno Kessler

Video: a fly-over of 17 years of WebValley

Credits: Story

MPBA
- Predictive Models for Biomedicine and Environment.

Cesare Furlanello, Director of Scientific Program

Claudia Dolci and Giuseppe Jurman, School Directors

Rachele Villani: managing secretariat 2015-2017

Networking by Trentino Network

Exhibit Editor: Giancarlo Sciascia, FBK Audience Developer.

INFO: web valley project website

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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