GeoData

Who we are

GeoData is the only Cornell project team affiliated with both the College of Engineering and the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. Members design the instruments, deploy them in the field, and run their own projects. We turn ideas into research and then projects that can make a tangible difference in our community.

Why your support matters

Meaningful environmental research requires equipment, sensors, and resources. Your contribution helps us purchase the supplies needed to build and maintain our instruments, expand our sensor networks, and collect the data that drives our projects forward.

Every donation helps our students take research beyond the campus and into the field. By supporting CU GeoData, you are investing in student innovation, environmental research, and a healthier, more informed local community.

Meet our teams: 

CU GeoData brings together students with different technical backgrounds and interests, united by a shared goal: using data, engineering, and environmental science to better understand the world around us. 

Air Team

Tethersonde — Measuring Atmospheric Conditions

The Air Team studies atmospheric chemistry, air quality, and local weather patterns. Members build their own weather instruments, deploy sensors, and use tools such as our student-built tethersonde to measure how temperature, humidity, and wind change with altitude. The team also works to improve weather stations and collect data that can help us better understand Finger Lakes weather.

Rock Team 

Soil Moisture Sensors — Monitoring Soil Health

The Rock Team investigates soil conditions, moisture, and environmental changes across our region. Projects involve soil moisture sensors, satellite imagery, and environmental sampling. The team studies how soil conditions relate to agriculture, erosion, and broader environmental patterns. The team is also helping establish a network of soil moisture and air quality sensors around Cayuga Lake.

Water Team 

Cayuga Lake Buoys — Studying Local Lake Conditions

The Water Team uses sensors, hydrology, and geospatial technology to study water quality and water-related challenges. Current projects include developing a network of buoy weather stations on Cayuga Lake to investigate lake-effect snow, exploring sap sensors to study tree health, and improving how data from instruments reaches online servers. Past projects have also explored harmful algal blooms and water quality monitoring.

Data Team 

Weather Modeling — Turning Data Into Predictions

The Data Team helps transform raw environmental measurements into meaningful insights. By collaborating with other subteams, members apply data science, machine learning, and analytical tools to environmental research. Their work supports projects that need better ways to process, analyze, and interpret data, including efforts related to predicting harmful algal blooms.

Tech Team 

LiDAR Hexapod — Autonomous Data Collection

The Tech Team builds, codes, and communicates systems and computing platforms such as Arduino and Raspberry Pi. Members have developed a model to predict lake-effect snow events on Cayuga Lake and are using drone-based infrared imaging and synthetic aperture radar to investigate vegetation health, topography, and soil moisture. Currently working with CUPI to build a self-navigating data collection hexapod for the earth sciences, starting with LiDAR collection.

What your donation supports

• Sensors and monitoring equipment for collecting atmospheric, soil, and water measurements.

• Electronic components and hardware for building and maintaining custom instruments.

• Field supplies and deployment materials for conducting environmental research throughout the Finger Lakes region.

• Computing and data analysis resources for processing measurements and developing predictive models.

• Competition expenses and fees associated with registering and traveling to research expositions and hackathons.

Join us in making a difference

Any contribution, whether financial donations, material supplies such as sensors or computers, or simply general support and being a connection, can help advance our work.

Together, we can empower the next generation of environmental innovators and create a lasting impact on the Cornell and Ithaca communities.

Thank you for supporting CU GeoData and helping our students design, deploy, and discover. Every contribution brings us one step closer to making these projects a reality!

As a registered student organization, we are committed to equal access to all of our programs and do not discriminate based on any protected identity status.