The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre today announced the opening of registration for the Deep Learning Camp for university students, which will be held virtually from 18^th to 20^thAugust 2020. The Deep Learning Camp is part of the initiatives of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre to support the UAE’s strategic directions in the science and technology fields, promoting the building of a generation capable of adopting advanced technologies to develop different solutions to tackle future challenges.

Through the camp, MBRSC aims to provide the youth with a unique experience to explore space science through theoretical and practical lessons, activities conducted by experts and specialists in the field from the Centre. The camp is a great opportunity for students interested in the field of space sciences to acquire new skills about remote sensing and satellite analysis.

His Excellency Yousuf Hamad Al Shaibani, Director General, MBRSC, said: “The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre is keen to make effective contributions that support the UAE’s strategic directions in the science and technology field. Young people can explore the important aspect of space science and modern technologies that are the basis for advanced science in all fields through this camp. The UAE’s ambition to strengthen its leadership in the space sector is clear, as the country is taking prominent initiatives in space technology and enhancing its role in this field. This has acted as a catalyst for younger generations to study such scientific disciplines.”

Saeed AlMansoori, Head of Application Development & Analysis Section, MBRSC, said: “Through these initiatives, we are working to prepare the youth and develop their skills to keep pace with the future of deep learning and Artificial intelligence technologies. To keep pace with the developments in the field of space sciences and technology in the region and globally, it has become necessary to possess such important skills and knowledge.”

“This camp is a great opportunity for students interested in space science. The camp includes theoretical and practical activities, including sessions on satellite image analysis, remote sensing and artificial intelligence, and other topics related to enriching young people’s knowledge and attracting them to this field,” added AlMansoori.

The Deep Learning Camp is divided into theoretical and practical sessions. The theoretical sessions deal with the definition of the principles of deep learning, its applications and the techniques used therein, with focus on satellite image analysis. The practical sessions will involve learning the applied aspects of deep learning through specialised machine learning applications, including Python Programming with Google Colab. The practical session will also engage the participants in a technological challenge through the “Hacakathon Competition” with great prizes awaiting the winners. The contestants will need to apply what they learned throughout the camp about deep learning and its application for the competition. Participants will also be awarded certificates from the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre.

During the 3-day camp, participants will learn 3 key elements: principles of deep learning and artificial intelligence, how to use satellite imagery, and the ability to analyse and classify satellite images from a set of satellite image data.

Terms of participation

To apply for the camp, the participant needs to be a student of a university in the UAE within the ages of 18 to 30, with basic knowledge of mathematics, Python programming language and image process operations. A total of 15 participants, both boys and girls, will be selected from those who have registered. The last date to register and submit the required documents is 12^th August 2020 via the website https://mbrsc-campreg.evsreg.com, while the fee for the camp can be paid between 13^th to 15^th August 2020.