Hello RCN!

The MarineOmics working group is organizing a virtual hack-a-thon Dec. 13-15 to develop content for the website marineomics.io, and we’re looking for participants! Formed through the Research Coordination Network for Evolution in Changing Seas (RCN-ECS), the working group synthesizes and disseminates tutorials, reproducibility tools, and best principles for ecological genomic research in marine and nonmodel systems. You can learn more about the MarineOmics working group and website through our recent publication. 

The hackathon will take place Dec. 13-15, with 4 hours of scheduled time each day during the hours of 12pm-4pm EST (with breaks built in) Participants can be anyone with experience, or who is interested in gaining experience, using ecological ‘omics methods at the undergraduate, graduate, postdoctoral, research scientist, or faculty level. Previous participation in MarineOmics activities is not required. While attendance can be flexible, we’d prefer that participants are able to attend at least 8 hours over the course of the hackathon. $500 stipends are available to participating students and postdocs and can be requested using the hackathon registration form (see eligibility requirements below). 

Participants will have the opportunity to collaborate in small groups or work independently to develop content for the MarineOmics website. This can include new webpages or webpages that are currently in development and could be finished with a focused hackathon effort. Content topics can expand on existing topics on the website (population genomics, RNAseq for differential expression, genome-phenome mapping), or cover new topics. We are particularly interested in content that involves genome assembly, genome annotation, metabarcoding, epigenetics, quantitative comparisons of different data types, and developing automated workflows (i.e. Snakemake and Nextflow). However, if you have an idea for another topic that involves ‘omics methods applied to nonmodel taxa, feel free to bring it!

To sign up for the hackathon, please fill out the attached Google Form. The deadline to sign up is Nov. 27. If you have any questions, please direct them to Katherine Silliman ([log in to unmask]).

Stipend Eligibility

For those interested in receiving a stipend, we welcome and encourage stipend applications from anyone at the undergraduate, graduate, or postdoctoral (< 5 years post-PhD) level, regardless of previous MarineOmics participation or demographic information. However, stipend recipients must have a SSN or Tax ID Number in the USA per NSF regulations. Stipend recipients are required to attend at least 8 hours of the hackathon.

In the case of more stipend applications than funding availability, stipends will be prioritized for:

• Participants who have not yet received a stipend through the MarineOmics group

• Participants who suggest developing a webpage on a new topic

Stipends can only be paid to persons with a SSN or Tax ID Number in the USA. For international students in the US, please consult with the international office of your university before receiving the payment. There is usually additional paperwork that has to be filled out when receiving funds from another institution.

Best,

Katherine Silliman, Sam Bogan, and Jason Johns

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