OpenTopography Elevate

In 2025, OpenTopography introduced OpenTopography Elevate, a new program designed to provide U.S.-based researchers and educators with personalized, expert assistance in working with digital elevation model and point cloud topography data. This program aims to empower participants with the technical skills necessary to use topography data effectively. Examples of projects include completing graduate-level research, teaching students in-demand knowledge about lidar, or creating museum exhibits that educate the public about Earth’s natural and built landscapes. Below we outline additional information about the program and what is needed to apply.

What OpenTopography provides:

• Six one-hour meetings with an OpenTopography team member, focused on using and processing topography data and in research and/or teaching. OpenTopography can assist participants in using open-source tools or producing new tools as well as overcoming challenges in working with topographic data, such as error calculation or big data processing.
• One review of a manuscript or other work resulting from the project, at the level of detail comparable to that of a typical peer-review, with additional attention on the section(s) on topography data

Read about the application and selection processes here .

Here are the 2025-2026 cohort:

• Joanmarie Del Vecchio, College of William and Mary
• Megan Wilson & Allison Pfeiffer, Western Washington University
• Katherine Willis, Mark Behn, Noah Snyder & Kathleen Wilson, Boston College
• Nora Vaughan, Lehigh University
• Eileen G Ernenwein & Arpita Nandi, East Tennessee State University