UB summit to explore big data and computing

Mapping the human genome. Improving hurricane predictions. Developing more sophisticated ways for businesses to connect with customers.

These scientific advancements, and countless others, have been made possible through the collection and analysis of massive sets of digitized information known as big data.

This type of research, which has become vital to scientific progress, economic competitiveness, national security and other issues, is the subject of a five-day summit at UB.

The event, dubbed CDSE Days, runs March 23-27 on the North Campus and features six keynote speakers and eight workshops designed to develop and enhance the skills of data scientists.

Among the speakers are:

• Omar Ghattas, professor and John A. and Katharine G. Jackson Chair in Computational Geosciences at the University of Texas, Austin, who will discuss modeling the flow of Antarctic ice sheets.
• Three UB researchers — Norma J. Nowak, Peter Winkelstein and Thomas R. Furlani — will discuss the Buffalo Institute for Genomics and Data Analytics, which was created last year with a $50 million grant from New York State.

A complete schedule of speakers and workshops, including the locations and time of each, is available online.

CDSE stands for Computation and Data-Enabled Science and Engineering, a new advanced degree and certificate program under development at UB. The program, which is under review by the state Department of Education, is part of UB’s “E Fund” initiative, which supports programs that will have a high impact both inside and outside the university.

The “E” stands for excellence. The fund is supported by NYSUNY 2020, the higher education bill signed into law by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.

CDSE will bring together the efforts of faculty in UB’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the College of Arts and Science, the School of Management, the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and the School of Public Health and Health Professions.

The initiative will, among other things, increase educational opportunity and employability for students, attract new graduate students to UB and boost research opportunities for aligned faculty members.