Climate Change AI Summer School 2024

We are excited to host the third Climate Change AI Summer School in 2024! This year’s program includes two distinct programs: a virtual program (registration now open) and a selective in-person program (application deadline: April 14, 2024).

The virtual program provides an opportunity to learn about different applications of artificial intelligence (AI) for climate action from expert researchers and practitioners, and develop expertise to make an impact in this space via lectures and hands-on tutorials. The content of the program is geared towards those that have some prior engagement with topics in either climate change or AI, and are looking to learn more about the intersection of these fields.

The in-person program aims to prepare participants to become leaders in tackling major climate problems using AI, via collaborative projects, hands-on mentorship, technical training, and leadership workshops. The in-person program is geared towards individuals with prior backgrounds in AI and/or a climate change-related field, across career stages.

Registration and applications are now open (more info below).

Dates & Application Info

The summer school will be held in two independent parts: a standalone virtual program and a selective in-person program. Registration for the virtual program and applications for the in-person program are now open! Please see below for details.

Due to United States sanctions and export controls, CCAI is unfortunately unable to accept participants for both the virtual and in-person program who reside in the following countries: Cuba, Iran, Syria, North Korea, Russia, and sanctioned parts of Ukraine.

Virtual Program

More information about registration fees and fee waivers can be found below.

In-Person Program

Summer School Structure

I. Virtual Program

The CCAI Summer School includes a standalone virtual program that will run for 7 weeks throughout June and July 2024. Each week, approximately 4 hours of lecture content will be accompanied by self-paced tutorials. There will also be social and networking opportunities available each week. The content of the program is geared towards those that have some prior engagement with topics in either climate change or AI, and is inclusive to participants from across sectors (e.g., academia, the private sector, the public sector, and students).

The lectures will cover applications of AI in different climate-related fields (spanning areas such as energy, land use, climate science, economics, and policy), as well as questions around AI ethics, regulation, and environmental footprint. Through hands-on tutorials, participants can practice working on solutions across these application areas. The 2024 program schedule will be available approximately one month before the start of the program. For context, more information about the topics covered during the 2023 Virtual Summer School can be found here.

Participants will additionally have opportunities to meet and interact virtually with each other and the program instructors through social and networking events.

Fees

Registration fees for the Virtual Summer School vary based on your primary residence. Please use the categories below and the World Bank classifications to determine which program fee you should pay. If you live in a high-income economy according to the World Bank classifications, the registration fee is $30 USD. If you live outside of a high-income economy, the registration fee is $10 USD.

We are committed to making the Summer School accessible to all so a fee waiver is available for anyone unable to pay the registration fee.

Register for the Virtual Summer School using the links below!

II. In-Person Program

Participants of the in-person program will have the opportunity to work together in interdisciplinary teams to develop projects using AI to address important climate change-relevant challenges. Throughout the development of each project, mentors with expertise on the topic of the project will provide guidance and feedback. At the end of the program, each team will present their projects in front of their peers and a panel of experts from different sectors.

Training sessions will also be delivered with the aim of enhancing participants’ ability to impactfully and responsibly shape their projects, and to assume leadership positions in the broader climate change and AI space. These trainings will be led by experts from various backgrounds across industry and academia, and will include topics such as shaping and communicating pathways to impact, ethics and responsible AI, project evaluation, and effective communication. For context, more information about the program from the 2023 in-person Summer School can be found here.

We encourage applicants with diverse interests and backgrounds at the intersection of climate change and AI to apply. We’ve developed this program for students, researchers, engineers, practitioners, and others in the public and private sectors who are interested in using AI/ML to address problems in climate change mitigation, adaptation, or climate science. Through the learning exercises and your experience working in your project group with individuals from all over the world, you will enhance your ability to work in multidisciplinary teams leveraging AI for climate impact.

Fees

The registration fee for the program is $400 USD. Students, academics, nonprofit employees, and government/public sector employees will be eligible for a 50% discount on the registration fee. The application is completely free to submit. Applicants who are accepted will be asked to confirm their attendance for the entire duration of the summer school and to pay the registration fee. Please note that ability to pay this registration fee is not a consideration in the selection process. See the next section for more information regarding financial assistance.

Due to United States sanctions and export controls, CCAI is unfortunately unable to accept participants for both the virtual and in-person program who reside in the following countries: Cuba, Iran, Syria, North Korea, Russia, and sanctioned parts of Ukraine.

Admission to the in-person program will be based on a selection process that takes into account several factors, including prior relevant experience, goals for the program, ability to articulate an impactful application of AI/ML to climate-related challenges, and more. We will seek to bring together a diverse cohort of participants.

The cost of attendance for the Summer School includes the registration fee, travel to/from the program location, and accommodation during the program. Accepted applicants will have the opportunity to apply for financial assistance to cover some or all of the costs of attending. (Two meals a day, social events, and local transportation will be covered for all participants.) Before accepted participants need to confirm their attendance, CCAI will notify participants of whether they have been awarded financial aid. All accepted participants will have the opportunity to apply for financial aid, and financial aid decisions will primarily be based on need. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age to apply. In addition to other funding opportunities, Black and Indigenous students who self-identify during the application process will be eligible for financial assistance provided by the CIFAR Inclusive AI Scholarship Program.

Apply for the In-Person Summer School here!

Sponsors

Organizers

On behalf of Climate Change AI:
Amanda Sessim Parisenti (Climate Change AI)
Elena Fillola Mayoral (University of Bristol)
Erick Kapp (Climate Change AI)
Millie Chapman (National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis)
Umangi Jain (University of Toronto)
Yazid Salahudeen Mikail (Ahmadu Bello University)

Frequently Asked Questions

Virtual Summer School FAQs

Q: What is the age requirement for the virtual program?
A: All participants must be at least 18 years of age.

Q: How do I access the virtual program?
A: When you register for the virtual program, you will be automatically added to CCAI’s Community Platform and the Summer School 2024 space. You will receive an email with information about how to access the community platform, please be sure to check your spam folder if you do not see the email. All information regarding lecture and tutorial live streams and recordings will be shared on the Community Platform.

Q: Will there be recordings?
A: We will aim to record and publish the content online after the summer school.

Q: What topics will be covered in the virtual program?
A: The virtual program will provide an overview of how artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can be used to address climate change. Through lectures and tutorials, participants will learn how AI/ML are employed across different climate-relevant fields/sectors, discuss important considerations for framing/scoping problems, and gain hands-on practice applying AI/ML to climate-relevant problems.

Q: Are there prerequisites for the virtual program?
A: Modules will be presented at varying levels of technical depth. For some of the modules, substantial knowledge about AI/ML, Python programming, or both is assumed. For other modules, only minimal prerequisite knowledge about AI/ML, Python programming, or both is assumed. Individual module prerequisites will be made clear prior to the summer school.

Q: Will self-study materials be provided to help me obtain prerequisite knowledge for the virtual program?
A: Yes we will aim to provide them when we release the full schedule.

Q: When will the exact schedule be posted?
A: We will aim to post the exact schedule about a month prior to the start of the program.

Q: What is the deadline for registering?
A: Registration for the virtual summer school will remain open until the end of the program.

Q: My question isn’t answered above. What should I do?
A: If you have a question not answered in the FAQs, please email summerschool+virtual@climatechange.ai. Due to the large number of inquiries, we may not be able to reply to all emails.

In-Person Summer School FAQs

Q: What is the date and location of the in-person program?
A: The In-Person Summer School will be held from August 12-16, 2024 at Mila - Quebec AI Institute in Montreal, Canada.

Q: Who is eligible to apply for the in-person program?
A: Anyone over 18 years of age is eligible to apply.

Q: What is the application deadline for the in-person program?
A: The deadline to apply is April 14, 2024 23:59 AoE (Anywhere on Earth).

Q: Is there an application fee for the in-person program?
A: No! All applicants who fill out the application form will be considered.

Q: Will food, lodging, travel, and/or visa application costs be covered for accepted applicants?
A: Accepted applicants will have the opportunity to apply for financial assistance to cover participation cost. Before accepted participants need to confirm their attendance, we will let them know which costs will be covered for everyone and we will also let accepted participants know if they have been awarded financial aid.

Q: What will the schedule of the in-person program be like?
A: The in-person program will give participants the opportunity to work on collaborative projects together in multi-disciplinary teams. The program will also include learning exercises on shaping and communicating pathways to impact, ethics and responsible AI, and more, as well as social activities to help build connections between participants.

Q: Will there be opportunities for networking and collaboration at the in-person program?
A: Yes absolutely!

Q: My question isn’t answered above. What should I do?
A: If you have a question not answered in the FAQs, please email summerschool+inperson@climatechange.ai. Due to the large number of inquiries, we may not be able to reply to all emails.