Simple App Development for Wetland Ecologists

Workshop

May 29, 2018: 8 am - 5 pm

Denver, Colorado

The event includes both a 1-day Android app development workshop on Tuesday and post-workshop "office hours" on Wednesday.

This full-day workshop is divided into two sessions. The morning session is an introduction to Android app development using MIT App Inventor. We will also discuss how your skills can be used to develop iOS (iPhone) apps. During this session, participants will complete basic app tutorials and build several ecology apps.

The afternoon session will focus on expanding app development skills and creating more field-focused apps. By the end of the workshop, participants will know how to build basic Android apps using MIT App Inventor, know how to build their skills using available online resources, and will have created multiple Android apps.

​App development in wetland ecology is a new and exciting area for exploration and development. Mobile devices connect us to the internet, each other, and, with the many sensors available on mobile devices, to our environment. But mobile apps to assist wetland scientists are rare. As wetland scientists, we can develop our own apps and bring this powerful technology into the lab and into the field. We can also harness the power of mobile technology in our education and outreach efforts.

Backed by the MIT App Inventor Team

For participants who have no programming experience, the workshop, "Simple App Development for Wetland Ecologists" will provide an in-depth introduction to Android app development utilizing MIT App Inventor (AI). App Inventor is currently testing the platform for iOS (iPhone) app development.

AI is a simple web-based visual development platform that allows users to rapidly build mobile apps. Instead of writing text based programs, users learn to assemble program blocks in a similar fashion to putting together puzzle pieces. This easy to learn approach to app creation allows users to build complex Android apps for use in research, education, and outreach in a short period of time.

MAI is supported by the MIT Center for Mobile Computing, is free, and is supported for Windows, Mac OS X, and GNU/Linux operating systems many Android devices, and is currently in testing for iPhones. Tutorials will be provided. Participants need to bring their laptop and if possible an Android mobile device such as a smart phone or tablet. Participants without Android devices can test their apps using the MAI emulator or work with a partner. We will have a limited supply of Android devices. You also need a Gmail account and the Chrome web browser is preferable.

Lunch will be provided.

Our ESA 2016 workshop and Eco Hackathon (app development contest) participants worked hard and developed a number of unique apps for use in ecology education, outreach, and research. Please view the gallery below for screen shots and app descriptions. Download winning apps below. This is easiest to do by clicking on the link using your mobile device.

Congratulations to the winners of the ESA 101 Eco Hackathon!

Beginning Developers:

First Place: Overheard at ESA by Ava Hoffman, Beth Kuser Olsen, and Shar Siddiqui

      Overheard at ESA App   AI Code

Second Place: Talkin' Trash by Mary Keilhauer and Catherine Louie

      Talkin' Trash App   AI Code

Third Place: Mojo Invasion by Elizabeth Chi and Jeanelle Brisbane

      Mojo Invasion App   AI Code

Honorable Mention: Plot Locator Pedometer by Beth Middleton

      Plot Locator App   AI Code

Our ESA 2015 workshop and Eco Hackathon (app development contest) participants worked hard and developed a number of unique apps for use in ecology education, outreach, and research. Please view the gallery below for screen shots and app descriptions. Download winning apps below. This is easiest to do by clicking on the link using your mobile device. For some apps, only the app inventor code is available as the apps have become buggy.

Congratulations to the winners of the ESA 100 Eco Hackathon!

Experienced Developers (those with some programming experience):

First Place: Mad Scientist developed by Leila Hadj-Chikh

      AI Code

Second Place: Tree Structure Data Recorder by Nicole Meister and Wenge Ni-Meiser

      Tree Structure App   AI Code

Third Place: Near Me by Hsieh Hsunyi, Ma Ziyu, and Denis Valle
      AI Code

Beginning Developers:

First Place: Quadrat by Sonya Geange, Houston Harris, Emily Kalnicky, and Bryan Nguyen

      Quadrat App   AI Code

Second Place: Raptor by John Herrmann

      Raptor App   AI Code

Third Place: EcoPic by Anna Carter, Elyce Gosselin, and Amanda Young