Artificial Intelligence Residency Programme

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AI for International Development

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http://crookgolfclub.co.uk/797-english-grammar-homework-help Although artificial intelligence may still seem like a futuristic fantasy, in truth, AI is all around us – though in mundane ways we rarely imagine. It recommends TV shows on Netflix, suggests friends on Facebook, filters spam from our inboxes, identifies faces in photos, powers voice assistants, enables targeted advertising and translates text.

Artificial intelligence (AI) will soon be at the center of the international development field. How will this revolution impact public health, agricultural extension work, humanitarian disaster response, educational delivery and more? Today, the majority of AI initiatives in international development are still in the research, development and piloting stage. Most rely on a few broadly available data sources such as satellite imagery, mobile phone data, and survey data. These data sources have enabled the development of AI systems in areas such as agriculture and healthcare.

Our AI Residents consist of individuals with relevant backgrounds working in our partner organizations and will be able to make original contributions to our programmes on AI for social good. This programme will pair you with an AI Researcher and Engineer who will both guide your project. With the team, you will pick a research problem of mutual interest and then devise new deep learning techniques to solve it. We also encourage collaborations beyond the assigned mentors.

We are soliciting for young professionals with strong background in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) seeking to use their education and skills to address social and economic challenges for underserved populations and desire to engage in an intense professional development experience while applying creative solutions to deepen impact.

System Requirements

  • Valid email account. Participants will be required to register with their valid personal email accounts. However, you will be assigned an organization email account valid for the period of residency.
  • Participants will need regular access to a computer or android device. High speed broadband connectivity is highly recommended for optimal interactive experience.
  • Collaboration Tools: Eliademy Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and Microsoft Teams.
  • Software: Prerequisite data analysis course may have additional software requirements. This include SPSS, Stata and R. We provide these packages and technical assistance during installation.
  • Web Browser: Firefox, Chrome, Explorer or Safari.

Responsibilities

  • Learn how to perform research in deep learning and AI for international development.
  • Understand prior work and existing literature.
  • Work with mentors to identify problem(s) of interest and develop novel AI techniques.
  • Translate ideas into practical code addressing AI for social good.
  • Write up research results in the form of an academic paper or open-source projects.

Prerequisite Programme

  • A First Look at Global Development
  • Data Sources in International Development
  • How to Break into International Development
  • UN Sustainable Development Goals
  • Research Methodology for Development
  • Mobile Data Collection
  • Exploring Opportunities in the Development Sector
  • Project Management in International Development
  • International Development Templates
  • Communication for Development
  • Baseline, Midterm and Endline Survey
  • GIS Mapping for Development Projects
  • Programme Implementation
  • Monitoring and Evaluation
  • Responding to RFPs
  • ICT for Development (ICT4D)
  • Data Science for Social Good
  • Artificial Intelligence for International Development
  • Future of Development Aid
  • Term Paper

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who should apply to the AI residency programme?

This programme is highly competitive. Ideal candidate either has a bachelor or master degree and equivalent experience in STEM field such as Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics or Statistics. However, non-STEM candidates with strong interest and passion for machine learning research may apply to this programme. Selected Residents are expected to complete a 2-month prerequisite course in international development. As a matter of policy, selected Residents will be required to pay a one-time fee of 20 USD for the prerequisite programme in international development.

What can I expect from the programme?

The residency programme is similar to a 3-month fellowship in machine learning. Residents are expected to complete a 2-month prerequisite course in international development, read and share AI/ML papers and work on research projects. By the end of the program, residents are expected to contribute significantly to the advancement of AI for international development.

Where is the residency programme based?

The AI Residency Programme is primarily based in Nigeria (Lagos), Ghana (Accra), Rwanda (Kigali), Kenya (Nairobi), South Africa (Johannesburg) and India (New Delhi) depending on project fit and availability. Selected Residents may also find placement outside these locations. Your host organization will work with you to determine the best schedule for your residency tasks. Given the current global public health issue around COVID-19, Dataville Research has decided to suspend all in-person engagements for the interim and will only be offering the Virtual Fellowship Program at present.

What are the important dates in this programme?

1. Applications are open from February 1, 2020 to March 31, 2020, but we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.
2. Phone interviews will begin in March 13, 2020 on a rolling basis until all positions are filled.
3. Programme start dates for 2020 will be between April and May 2020. Exact dates are yet to be finalized.

What does the programme curriculum look like?

AI Residents will spend the first 2 months of the programme understanding international development from practitioners’ point of view through remote collaboration with Dataville consortium in-house trainers. The programme will then pair you with an AI Researcher and Engineer who will both guide your project. With the team, you will pick a research problem of mutual interest and then devise new deep learning techniques to solve it. We also encourage collaborations beyond the assigned mentors.

Further enquires?

For further questions and comments, please send a mail to aiforgood@datavillegroup.com. Our Support Team typically respond within 1-3 hours.

receptively Applications are now closed.

Thank you for your interest in our AI Residency Programme!

We will be announcing the registration of a new cohort in September 2021.

Thanks!