The Center for Computational Science offered two presentations at the cutting-edge technology and innovation event eMerge Americas held on April 17-19, 2016, at the Miami Beach Convention Center.  One on Visualization, and one on Digital Mapping using drones and custom software created by our Software Engineering Team.

●Crossmedia Imaging Of Latin American Informal Cities Project

PRESENTERS:  Chris Mader, Director, Software Engineering Group | UM Center for Computational Science

TECHNICAL SUPPORT: Amin Sarafraz, Software Engineer, Software Engineering Group | UM Center for Computational Science

This presentation showcased an ongoing collaboration between the University of Miami Center for Computational Science (CCS )and the School of Architecture (SoA) centered around applying and exploring low-altitude aerial photography (using drones) for rapidly and inexpensively documenting informal settlements in Central and South America, and beyond. CCS’s Software Engineers have developed digital mapping software that can correct images and create distortion-free aerial photos, that are then used to render a 3-D model.  These techniques have wide applications outside the immediate area of study, including urban planning, agriculture, the insurance industry, and journalism.

Pictured below with CCS Center Director Nicholas Tsinoremas, PhD, on the left, are CCS Software Engineering Director Chris Mader (center) and Sr. Software Engineer Amin Sarafraz, PhD

 

 

●Unlocking Information:  The Power of Data Visualization for Journalists, Scientists, and the Rest of Us

PRESENTER:  Alberto Cairo | Knight Chair in Visual Journalism, School of Communication

CCS’s Visualization Program Director Alberto Cairo spoke on “Unlocking Information: The Power of Data Visualization for Journalists, Scientists, and the Rest of Us“.

Never before has so much data been available to the public. From crime statistics to public school test scores, citizens have the ability to access mountains of data on issues that impact their lives locally and globally. But having information isn’t the same as being informed. How can citizens use data to identify trends or pinpoint new solutions?

In the past two decades, visualization—the graphical display of information— has become a skill as important as literacy or numeracy, as it is arguably the most powerful tool to help us derive meaning from the enormous amounts of data produced daily. Until recently the tools of data visualization were available only to scientists, statisticians, and designers. But now, thanks to easier and cheaper tools, data visualization is becoming a language available to everyone.

 

 

Also featured was University President, Dr. Julio Frenk:

●A Hemispheric Innovation Strategy

PRESENTER:  President Julio Frenk, the 6th President of the University of Miami, began his term on August 16, 2015

As is the focus of eMerge Americas, President Frenk’s presentation, entitled “A Hemispheric Innovation Strategy“, focused on creating a groundbreaking concept of the Hemispheric Innovation Lifecycle, which will include the Hemispheric Innovation and Technology Initiative (HIT) and Hemispheric University Consortium at UM.

Earlier this year, it was announced that CCS will help create a “Center for Computational Science for the Americas” in the Yucatán, in a collaboration between the University of Miami and the Yucatan government and industry. This ‘CCS of the Americas’ will become a part of Yucatan State Government’s Information Technologies Innovation Center known as “Hueristic”.