NHERI Computational Academy Data Report 2023

This report summarizes the 2023 evaluation of the NHERI Computational Academy (NCA) conducted by TACC’s STEM Evaluation Services team. The team examined the implementation, outcomes, and impacts of the NCA using the NHERI Computational Academy survey. The NCA survey gathered information on participants’ background, their satisfaction with the academy, their knowledge gained, whether and how they plan to use what they learned, and their suggestions for improvement.

According to the NCA survey findings, respondents are highly satisfied with the academy. Participants reported learning about DesignSafe and SimCenter tools, Python, Jupyter Notebooks, machine learning, AI, and other topics. They plan to apply their new knowledge to their own research and recommend the academy to others. Survey respondents highlighted specific learning topics, tools and resources, and mentors as the most useful aspects of the training. They suggested extending the length of the academy, addressing technical issues proactively, creating more personalized training sessions, and improving awareness of DesignSafe/SimCenter resources and workshops. Additionally, respondents expressed interest in future topics such as programming, large-scale flood modeling, GIS and remote sensing, AI, and deep learning.