A forge of talents
Smart young people falling in love for interdisciplinary science: WebValley, international summer school, since 2001
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.
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
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.
In this picture Denise Kirschner from UniMichigan @ WebValley 2012
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.
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
So far! And what's next?
2017: Project fully based on Deep Learning on Cloud GPU resources
The recipe for innovation
At WebValley the newest technologies are combined with data science to solve the project challenge.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
