What Big Data Can Tell You and Why It Matters

Advances in technology and the ever-growing role of digital sensors and computers in science have led to an exponential growth in the amount and complexity of data that scientists collect. We are at the threshold of an era in which hypothesis-driven science is being complemented with data-driven discovery. This alternate way to pursue research affects all fields, from genomics in biology, astrophysics, to many domains in social sciences.

The data we collect are complex in size, dimension, and heterogeneity, all three falling under the generic term "Big Data". These data provide unprecedented opportunities for new discoveries; they also come with challenges that need to be addressed. I will discuss these opportunities and challenges with respect to three fronts, namely Research, Education, and Infrastructure.

Speaker: Patrice Koehl, UC Davis