The goal of this workshop is to teach novice programmers to write modular code and best practices for using R for data analysis. We'll focus on building a strong foundation in the fundamentals of R and teaching best practices for scientific computing (breaking down analyses into modular units, task automation, and encapsulation). The workshop is geared to those with little to no programming experience. 

Important Dates:

• Sign-up form closes - Friday, February 14, at 5pm ET
• Registrants notified - Week of February 17
• Introduction session - Monday, March 3 from 2-3pm ET
• Workshop sessions - Tuesdays in March (3/4, 3/11, 3/18, 3/25) from 1-5pm ET

Requirements:

• There is no cost to attend the workshop.
• Selected participants will be asked to commit to attend the introduction and workshop sessions.
• Selected USGS participants will be required to get supervisory approval in DOI Talent.
• Participants may be required to install some software on their computers, which might require USGS ServiceDesk assistance.

Additional Information:

• This workshop will cover the R for Reproducible Scientific Analysis lesson material.
• Spots will be limited to provide the best online experience for the learners.
• Priority will be given to participants that work for the USGS.
• Participants will be selected across disciplines, mission areas and regions, considering their reason(s) for wanting to participate in the workshop.

Sign-ups for this workshop will close on Friday February 14, at 5pm ET.
 

The USGS Git, GitLab, and Software Release Workshop is a day-long, in person workshop, that will help USGS researchers and software developers learn how to do the following:

• Create a Git Repository for tracking version controlled software
• Collaborate with others using USGS GitLab
• Create a USGS-compliant software release package with source code, metadata, disclaimers, license, and citation
• Submit a software release package for publication

This is a pilot course that is still in beta. This means there might be a few bumps along the way. If you're looking for a perfectly polished training without any hiccups, you might want to wait for the finished product. But if you're open to trying something new and helping us improve the course material, we’d love to have you participate in the workshop!

This workshop will be held in-person at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia ahead of the 2025 CDI Workshop (Tuesday, April 29 - Friday, May 2).

The April Introduction to USGS Git and Software Release workshop is dependent on the announcement of the FY25 CDI Request for Proposals (RFP) funding, anticipated in early March. If the proposal to host the workshop is not selected, we will notify all individuals who register using this form in late March. Conversely, if the proposal is selected, we will notify all registrants about their status (either selected or not selected to participate) during the week of March 31. This should allow selected participants enough time to make travel arrangements.

Important Dates:

• Sign-up form closes - Friday, March 28 at 5pm ET
• Registrants notified - Week of March 31
• Introduction session - Thursday, April 17 from 12-1pm ET (virtual)
• Workshop session - Monday, April 28, from 8:30am - 5:30pm ET (in person at the National Conservation Training Center)

Requirements:

• This workshop is only available to USGS employees.
• Selected participants will be asked to commit to attend the workshop and get supervisory approval in DOI Talent.
• There is no cost to attend this workshop. However, selected participants will need to arrange their own travel and accommodations.
• Participants may be required to install some software on their computers, which might require USGS ServiceDesk assistance.

Additional Information:

• The workshop will be held in-person at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia ahead of the 2025 CDI Workshop (Tuesday, April 29 - Friday, May 2).
• Spots will be limited to provide the best in-person experience for the learners.
• Participants will be selected from diverse disciplines, positions, career stages, mission areas, and regions to ensure we gather feedback from multiple perspectives. This selection will be based independent of individuals' specific reasons for wanting to participate in the workshop, as our goal is to gather insights from a wide range of viewpoints.

Sign-ups for this workshop will close on Friday March 28, at 5pm ET.
 

The objective of this workshop is to empower novice programmers with essential coding skills and best practices for Python-based data analysis. Throughout the workshop, we will delve into fundamental Python concepts, using data visualization as a motivating context. This session is tailored for individuals who have little to no prior programming experience.

Important Dates:

• Sign-up form closes - Friday, May 9, at 5pm ET
• Registrants notified - Week of May 12
• Introduction session - Tuesday, May 27, from 3-4:30 pm ET
• Workshop sessions - Tuesdays in June (6/3, 6/10, 6/17, 6/24) from 11am-3pm ET 

Requirements:

• There is no cost to attend the workshop.
• Selected participants will be asked to commit to attend the introduction and workshop sessions.
• Selected USGS participants will be required to get supervisory approval in DOI Talent.
• Participants may be required to install some software on their computers, which might require USGS ServiceDesk assistance.

Additional Information:

• This workshop will cover the Plotting and Programming in Python lesson material.
• Spots will be limited to provide the best online experience for the learners.
• Priority will be given to participants that work for the USGS.
• Participants will be selected across disciplines, mission areas and regions, considering their reason(s) for wanting to participate in the workshop.

Sign-ups for this workshop will close on Friday, May 9, at 5pm ET.
 

This workshop will cover how to open, work with, and plot vector and raster-format spatial data in R. We'll also focus on topics including how to work with spatial metadata (extent and coordinate reference systems), reproject spatial data, and work with raster time series data. The workshop is geared towards those with some programming experience in R and assumes participants have some knowledge of geospatial data types and common file formats (i.e. raster and vector files).

Important Dates:

• Sign-up form closes - Thursday, July 3, at 5pm ET
• Registrants notified - Week of July 7​
• Introduction session - Monday, July 28, from 1-2 pm ET
• Workshop sessions - Tuesdays in August (8/5, 8/12, 8/19, 8/26) from 11am-3pm ET  

Requirements:

• There is no cost to attend the workshop.
• Selected participants will be asked to commit to attend the introduction and workshop sessions.
• Selected USGS participants will be required to get supervisory approval in DOI Talent.
• Participants may be required to install some software on their computers, which might require USGS ServiceDesk assistance.

Additional Information:

• If you have never worked with geospatial data before, or need a refresher, start with the Introduction to Geospatial Concepts lesson material.
• This workshop will cover the Introduction to Geospatial Raster and Vector Data with R lesson material.
• Spots will be limited to provide the best online experience for the learners. 
• Priority will be given to participants that work for the USGS. 
• Participants will be selected across disciplines, mission areas and regions, considering their reason(s) for wanting to participate in the workshop.

Stay tuned for more information coming soon, including a link to the sign-up form!