Data Challenge

Each year, SECOORA’s Data Challenge focuses on a distinct coastal or ocean dataset obtained from secoora.org. Participants are tasked with converting these datasets—such as buoy, web camera, high-frequency radar, or event-driven data—into practical tools or products addressing real-world questions.

With $3500 available in two categories, this challenge inspires students and young professionals to craft competitive proposals and develop innovative solutions.

We host annual
Data Challenges to:

  • Inspire a broad audience to engage with SECOORA.
  • Use technologies, tools, videos and creativity to visualize, analyze and use Southeast coastal and ocean data.
  • Encourage the use of data resources available from SECOORA.
  • Encourage students and young professionals to develop competitive proposals.

 

 

There are two categories for the Data Challenge: Category 1 aimed for undergraduates and Category 2 welcomes graduate students or early career professionals to compete.

Each category offers a prize of $3500.

 

“Being chosen as a winner of the SECOORA Data Challenge is an honor! This project aims to provide an exciting new web tool showing the location and properties of eddies within SECOORA coastal high frequency radar coverage areas.”

Douglas Cahl, University of South Carolina College of Arts and Sciences

Past Data Challenges

Discover the awardees, products, and coastal ocean datasets featured in previous Data Challenges.

“Our team is very honored to have been selected to receive the 2019 data challenge award. Working with SECOORA and their WebCAT cameras will provide us with the resources, support, and opportunity to create and share our dune erosion algorithm with potential end-users. This algorithm will provide a valuable method for quickly detecting the timing and duration of dune erosion events and providing additional validation data for coastal erosion models developed by the USGS, NOAA, and others. We are extremely grateful for this opportunity and are excited to work with SECOORA on this project.”

Deanna Edwing and Kelsea Edwing, University of North Carolina Wilmington

Data Challenge Awardees

Kaylee Mooney

2023 Category 2 Awardee

Florida Gulf Coast University

Tim Hesford

2022 Category 1 Awardee

University of North Carolina Wilmington

Owen Silvera

2022 Category 2 Awardee

Florida Atlantic University

Cody Benton

2021 Category 1 Awardee

University of North Carolina Wilmington

Jason (Jay) Law

2021 Category 2 Awardee

University of South Florida College of Marine Science

Douglas Cahl

2020 Category 2 Awardee

University of South Carolina College of Arts and Sciences

Matthew Conlin

2019 Category 2 Awardee

University of Florida

Deanna Edwing and Kelsea Edwing

2019 Category 1 Awardee

University of North Carolina Wilmington

John Mwaniki

2017 Category 1 Awardee

Kennesaw State University

Samantha Dowdell

2017 Category 1 Awardee

University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science

Joseph B. Zambon, Ph.D.

2017 Category 2 Awardee

North Carolina State University