Frost Institute for Data Science & Computing

Solutions Center Office Hours-Gables Campus
2020-03-05 14:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Arthur A. Ungar Building, 1365 Memorial Drive, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, United States
Could you use some help with technical troubleshooting? Are you having trouble installing software? Do you need answers to questions for a grant proposal? The Advanced Computing (AC) Team’s OFFICE HOURS can help! AC holds office hours on all 3 campuses to assist you:
Gables Campus: Thursdays 2-4:30 PM | Ungar 330E | Kalan Dawson, Systems Administrator
RSMAS Campus: Wednesdays 9-11 AM | MSC 223 | Warner Baringer, Senior Analyst/Systems Engineer
Medical Campus: Wednesdays 10 AM-2 PM | Soffer CRC 7th Floor | Pedro Davila, Systems Administrator
Advanced Computing can help with all kinds of technical troubles from how to use the new Triton supercomputer or Pegasus cluster, to queueing instructions, to resolving an error message. Consult with Kalan at the Gables Campus on Thursdays from 2:00-4:30PM in the Arthur A. Ungar Building, 1365 Memorial Drive, Room 330E, Coral Gables, FL 33146.

Women in Data Science (WiDS) 3/9/2020
2020-03-09 08:30 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | Watsco Center, 1245 Dauer Drive, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, United States
Register Now | $95.00 pp
Attend the fourth annual Women in Data Science (WiDS) Miami Conference to learn and engage with data science leaders and community members. This one-day technical conference provides an opportunity to hear about the latest data science-related research in a number of domains, learn how leading-edge companies are leveraging data science for success, and connect with potential mentors, collaborators, and others in the field.
WiDS Miami 2020 will be the most empowering and insightful event yet! Featuring women/gender minority in data science looking for a platform to share their rise, transition into, or accomplishments in the field of data science, the Paper Call presenters will educate on topics related to data science, and will empower women to take on roles in this transformative field. All genders are invited to participate in the conference, which features exclusively female speakers.

Announcing the afternoon Keynote Speaker
The afternoon Keynote Speaker will be Nooshin Nabizadeh, AI Solutions Architect at Intel Corporation. A successful University of Miami alumna who graduated with a PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Nooshin brings decade of experience in ML, Computer Vision, and Data Mining. She also teaches ML at San Jose State University. Her fields of expertise include: AI, Image Analysis, Pattern Recognition, and much more.
Monday, March 9, 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM | Watsco Center
Presented by NextEra Energy and hosted by the CCS, the annual WiDS Conference takes place at the University of Miami’s Coral Gables campus. The Watsco Center Fieldhouse is located at 1245 Dauer Dr, Coral Gables, FL 33146. Map + Directions
Who Should Attend
The Conference is open to everyone, regardless of gender, who is interested in engaging with and learning from the local data science community. Whether you are an experienced data scientist or looking to learn more about the field, WiDS Miami will have great content and opportunities to connect.
What to Expect

Talks from local speakers from academia and the industry
Opportunity to network with the local data science community and leadership, potential partners, employers and employees
Livestream of Stanford Keynote Speakers

About WiDS
The Women in Data Science (WiDS) initiative aims to inspire and educate data scientists worldwide, regardless of gender, and to support women in the field. ​WiDS started as a conference at Stanford in November 2015. Now, WiDS includes a global conference, with approximately 150+ regional events worldwide; a datathon, encouraging participants to hone their skills using a social impact challenge; and a podcast, featuring leaders in the field talking about their work, their journeys, and lessons learned. ​This conference provides an opportunity to hear about the latest data science-related research in a number of domains, learn how leading-edge companies are leveraging data science for success, and connect with potential mentors, collaborators, and others in the field. All genders are invited to participate in the conference, which features exclusively female speakers.

WiDS Podcast
​Season one of the WiDS podcast is now available on iTunes and Google Play. Hear from women leaders across the data science profession, as they share their advice, career highlights, and lessons learned along the way.

WiDS 2019 Overview
Watch highlights from the Women in Data Science Conference held at Stanford University on March 4, 2019. Attendees share their perspectives, and speakers share their insights.
All 2019 Stanford videos | 2019 Stanford Program

Solutions Center Office Hours-RSMAS Campus
2020-03-11 09:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York) | Rosensteil School of Marine Atmospheric and Earth Science, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Virginia Key, Florida, 33149, United States
Could you use some help with technical troubleshooting? Are you having trouble installing software? Do you need answers to questions for a grant proposal? The Advanced Computing (AC) Team’s OFFICE HOURS can help! AC holds office hours on all 3 campuses to assist you:
Gables Campus: Thursdays 2-4:30 PM | Ungar 330E | Kalan Dawson, Systems Administrator
RSMAS Campus: Wednesdays 9-11 AM | MSC 223 | Warner Baringer, Senior Analyst/Systems Engineer
Medical Campus: Wednesdays 10 AM-2 PM | Soffer CRC 7th Floor | Pedro Davila, Systems Administrator
Advanced Computing can help with all kinds of technical troubles from how to use the new Triton supercomputer or Pegasus cluster, to queueing instructions, to resolving an error message. Consult with Warner at the RSMAS Campus on Wednesdays from 9:00-11:00 AM in the Doherty Marine Science Center, Room MSC 223.

Solutions Center Office Hours-Medical Campus
2020-03-11 10:00 - 14:00 UTC | Don Soffer Clinical Research Center, 1120 NW 14th St, Miami, FL, 33136, United States
Could you use some help with technical troubleshooting? Are you having trouble installing software? Do you need answers to questions for a grant proposal? The Advanced Computing (AC) Team’s OFFICE HOURS can help! AC holds office hours on all 3 campuses to assist you:
Gables Campus: Thursdays 2-4:30 PM | Ungar 330E | Kalan Dawson, Systems Administrator
RSMAS Campus: Wednesdays 9-11 AM | MSC 223 | Warner Baringer, Senior Analyst/Systems Engineer
Medical Campus: Wednesdays 10 AM-2 PM | Soffer CRC 7th Floor | Pedro Davila, Systems Administrator
Advanced Computing can help with all kinds of technical troubles from how to use the new Triton supercomputer or Pegasus cluster, to queueing instructions, to resolving an error message. Consult with Pedro at the Medical Campus on Wednesdays from 10:00 AM-2:00 PM in the Don Soffer Clinical Research Center, 1120 NW 14th St, Room CRC 710, Miami, FL 33136.

Smart Cities MIAMI Conference 2020—POSTPONED
2020-03-26 09:30 - 18:00 UTC | Jorge M. Perez Architecture Center, 1223 Theo Dickinson Drive, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, United States
After careful consideration, the SMART CITIES MIAMI 2020 Conference + Workshop previously scheduled for March 26-27th at University of Miami, is POSTPONED due to statewide precautions for the COVID-19 Coronavirus, and the State of Florida’s public health emergency declaration.
The planning committee at the Institute for Data Science and Computing and the School of Architecture are committed to the health and welfare of our attendees, sponsors, and speakers, and the community as a whole, and have decided to err on the side of safety.
We thank you for your interest in our program and ask you to stay tuned to our website for future dates. All registration and application links have been disabled. If you have questions or concerns, please call 305-243-4962.

The University of Miami School of Architecture and Institute for Data Science & Computing invite you to attend the 4th annual Smart Cities MIAMI Conference + Workshop, on Thursday and Friday, March 26-27, 2020.

Day 1 Conference 3/26
To aid in the design and development of more sustainable, livable, and resilient cities, the University of Miami brings cutting-edge research in urban planning, architecture, and engineering in alignment with computational resources and analytical methods. The annual Smart Cities Miami Conference is an extension of these efforts, providing a forum for leaders in academia, industry, and government to closely examine evolving theories and practices in the Smart City field. The topics considered vary in scope and nature within a general theme that is particularly relevant for each year.
The theme for the 2020 edition is “Smart City Adoption, Adaptation, and Disruption“ providing opportunities to explore questions such as:

• How does technology enable cities to adapt to a changing environment?
• How do individuals, societies, and cultures adopt and adapt to emerging technologies, such as IoT, self-driving cars, gig economies, etc.?
• How do we transition from sustaining to disruptive practices and technology?
• Do cities become more resilient when they adopt new technology?
The Conference features Panel Discussions and Keynote Presentations. The price is $50 per person and includes complimentary parking, light breakfast, lunch, and the closing reception.
Registration opens at 8:30 AM. Event Times: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM.
Complimentary Parking
All Day 1 or Day 2 attendees are required to register their vehicle with the University to avoid issuance of a parking citation.
Please use this link to enter your license plate number. The link will be live through 3/27/2020 at 8:00 AM. Your parking session will be valid beginning at 7:00 AM on 3/26 and last through 3/27 until 4:00 PM. Signage and parking lots attendants will direct you. Important: Please park head-in only.

Keynote Speakers

Carlo Ratti
Director, MIT SENSEable City LabAn architect and engineer by training, Prof. Ratti teaches at MIT, and is a founding partner of the international design and innovation practice Carlo Ratti Associati. A leading voice in the debate on new technologies’ impact on urban life, his work has been exhibited at the Venice Biennale, New York’s MoMA, London’s Science Museum, and Barcelona’s Design Museum. Two of his projects—the Digital Water Pavilion and the Copenhagen Wheel—were hailed by Time Magazine as “Best Inventions of the Year”. He has been included in Wired Magazine’s “Smart List: 50 People Who Will Change the World.” He is currently serving as Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Cities and Urbanization.

Nicholas Negroponte, Chairman Emeritus, MIT Media Lab
Nicholas is the co-founder of the MIT Media Lab, which he directed for 20 years. A graduate of MIT, he was a pioneer in the field of computer-aided design and gave the first TED talk in 1984 (and 13 since). He is the author of Being Digital, which has been translated into 40+ languages. In 2005, he founded the nonprofit One Laptop per Child, which deployed $1B worth of laptops for primary education in the developing world.

Joseph Brancato, FAIA, NCARB, Co-Chairman, Gensler
Managing Principal for Gensler’s NE + Latin American regions, and Co-Chairman of the firm’s Board of Directors, Joe sits on the Executive & Governance Committee and the Global Practices Committee. He provides leadership to the architecture, urban planning, and design studios, and speaks regularly on the impact of driverless cars and ride sharing on urban planning and development, designing future cities, experience-driven design, and the urbanization of suburbia.

Keynote TALK TITLE: “SENSEABLE CITIES” | Carlo Ratti
The way we live, work, and play is very different today than it was just a few decades ago, thanks in large part to a network of connectivity that now encompasses most people on the planet. In a similar way, today we are at the beginning of a new technological revolution: the Internet is entering the physical space—the traditional domain of architecture and design—becoming an “Internet of Things” or IoT. As such, it is opening the door to a variety of applications that—in a similar way to what happened with the first wave of the Internet—can encompass many domains: from energy to mobility, from production to citizen participation. The contribution from Prof. Carlo Ratti will address these issues from a critical point of view through projects by the Senseable City Laboratory, a research initiative at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the design office Carlo Ratti Associati.

Keynote TALK TITLE: “The Future of Power-full Ideas” | Nicholas Negroponte
In a word: nuclear. Said in more detail: addressing climate change through conservation, recycling and using less plastic is almost quaint, when world development – just in terms of everybody having energy parity – needs about 5 to 10 times the amount of energy we produce today. That does not even include all the power hungrier things we do not yet do, but ought to do: cities without infrastructure, large scale desalination, CO2 sequestration, and air conditioning everybody.
The long term solution, say 20 or 25 years, is nuclear fusion, the holy grail: more or less unlimited, cost free, carbon neutral power. In between, we need to step up micro, modular, industrialized nuclear fission. And, most importantly, use some of it to start removing CO2 from the air. It is embarrassing to see sentient adults suggest being carbon neutral by 2050. Hello? They must live on a different planet. We need to be carbon negative before this decade is out. And, this is not done by taxing and capping. It is done through power innovation, new science and new technologies. Period.
In the recent past, to be an environmentalist, even to be a Democrat, was to be anti-nuclear. That can no longer be. It is simply unacceptable to be anti-nuclear. Get over it. Solar, wind and so-called sustainable, clean energy, so-called renewables, are fine, but insufficient. At best, renewables are a side show. At worst, they are an opportunity cost. What is needed: large scale, global collaboration, especially with the Russians and Chinese to push fusion and do fission in between. Those are the power-full ideas.

Day 2 Workshop + Competition
Led by the City of Miami, the Workshop investigates how to leverage smart cities technology to foster participatory government in the context of civic engagement. Click here for more details.
9:00 AM-2:00 PM Free | Complimentary parking, breakfast, and lunch provided.
If you are interested in attending Day 2, please register for the Workshop.

Exhibitor Spaces
Apply now to be an exhibitor. Exhibitor spaces are free, but limited.
Exhibitor benefits include:
• Two (2) complimentary passes to the Smart Cities Conference Day 1
• A feature in the Program Booklet (distributed to all Conference attendees) to include photo, logo, exhibit description, website, and contact information .
• Exposure to leading smart cities experts, academics, researchers, local policy makers, inventors, and enthusiasts
Sponsorship Opportunities
Smart Cities MIAMI 2020 also offers Sponsorship Opportunities with varying benefit packages. Benefits are based on sponsorship level and may include:
• Recognition in all collateral, electronic communications, and signage
• Recognition on smartcities.miami.edu, on event signage, and in program booklet
• Free passes to the Smart Cities MIAMI Conference
2020 Sponsorship Packet + Opportunities | Questions may be directed to 305.243.4962, or idsc@miami.edu.

Program Booklet
Program Booklet showcases are full-color, and come in 2 sizes. Complimentary design is available if needed.
• DOUBLE page spread (17.0” x 8.5”) $500
• FULL (single) page (8.5” x 8.5”) $250
Program Booklet Showcase Flyer + Opportunities | See the Smart Cities MIAMI 2019 booklet for samples.
• DOUBLE page spread (17.0” x 8.5”) $500
• FULL (single) page (8.5” x 8.5”) $250
Program Booklet Showcase Flyer + Opportunities | See the Smart Cities MIAMI 2019 booklet for ad samples.
Smart Cities MIAMI 2019 Program Booklet

Sponsors

Special Thanks to Reception Sponsor, Florida Power & Light

and thank you to GlassHouse Systems

Flyer

Smart Cities MIAMI 2020 Workshop-POSTPONED
2020-03-27 09:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Jorge M. Perez Architecture Center, 1223 Theo Dickinson Drive, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, United States
After careful consideration, the SMART CITIES MIAMI 2020 Conference + Workshop previously scheduled for March 26-27th at University of Miami, is POSTPONED due to statewide precautions for the COVID-19 Coronavirus, and the State of Florida’s public health emergency declaration.
The planning committee at the Institute for Data Science and Computing and the School of Architecture are committed to the health and welfare of our attendees, sponsors, and speakers, and the community as a whole, and have decided to err on the side of safety.
We thank you for your interest in our program and ask you to stay tuned to our website for future dates. All registration and application links have been disabled. If you have questions or concerns, please call 305-243-4962.

The University of Miami School of Architecture and Institute for Data Science & Computing invited you to attend the Smart Cities MIAMI 2020 Workshop.
To aid in the design and development of more sustainable, livable, and resilient cities, the University of Miami brings cutting-edge research in urban planning, architecture, and engineering in alignment with computational resources and analytical methods. The annual Smart Cities Miami Conference is an extension of these efforts, providing a forum for leaders in academia, industry, and government to closely examine evolving theories and practices in the Smart City field. The topics considered vary in scope and nature within a general theme that is particularly relevant for each year.
The theme for the 2020 edition is adoption and adaptation, providing opportunities to explore questions such as:
• How does technology enable cities to adapt to a changing environment?
• How do individuals, societies, and cultures adopt and adapt to emerging technologies, such as IoT, self-driving cars, gig economies, etc.?
• How do we transition from sustaining to disruptive practices and technology?
• Do cities become more resilient when they adopt new technology?

Day 2 Workshop + Competition
Led by the City of Miami, the Workshop investigates how to leverage smart cities technology to foster participatory government in the context of civic engagement. Click here for more details.
9:00 AM-2:00 PM Free | Complimentary parking, breakfast, and lunch provided.
If you are interested in attending Day 2, please register for the Workshop.

Exhibitor Spaces
Apply now to be an exhibitor. Exhibitor spaces are free, but limited.
Exhibitor benefits include:
• Two (2) complimentary passes Free tickets to Smart Cities Conference
• Feature in the Program Booklet (distributed to all Conference attendees) to include photo, logo, exhibit description, website, and contact information .
• Exposure to leading smart cities experts, academics, researchers, local policy makers, inventors, and enthusiasts
Sponsorship Opportunities
Smart Cities Miami 2020 also offers Sponsorship Opportunities with varying benefit packages. Benefits are based on sponsorship level and may include:
• Recognition in all collateral, electronic communications, and signage
• Recognition on smartcities.miami.edu, on event signage, and in program booklet
• Free passes to Smart Cities Miami 2020
2020 Sponsorship Packet + Opportunities | Questions may be directed to 305.243.4976.
Program Booklet Ads
Program Booklet ads are full-color, and come in 2 sizes. Complimentary ad design is available if needed.
• FULL (single) page (8.5” x 8.5”) $250
• DOUBLE page spread (17.0” x 8.5”) $500
Program Booklet Showcase Flyer + Opportunities | See the Smart Cities MIAMI 2019 booklet for ad samples.
Sponsors
Special Thanks to Reception Sponsor, Florida Power & Light

and thank you to GlassHouse Systems

2-Day R Workshop 4/1-2/2020 Gables-CANX
2020-04-01 00:00 - 2020-04-02 23:59 (America/New_York) | Richter Library, 1300 Memorial Drive, Coral Gables, Florida, 33146, United States
After careful consideration, the 2-day Software Carpentry-R Workshop at the Gables campus previously scheduled for April 1-2, 2020 has been CANCELLED due to statewide precautions for the COVID-19 Coronavirus, and the State of Florida’s public health emergency declaration.
The Institute for Data Science and Computing is committed to the health and welfare of our attendees, sponsors, and speakers, and the community as a whole, and have decided to err on the side of safety.
We thank you for your interest in our program and ask you to stay tuned to our website for future dates. All registration links have been disabled. If you have questions or concerns, please call 305-243-4962.

_____________________________________________________________________
Register Now | Syllabus forthcoming
This workshop is designed to provide a foundation of basic concepts that all programming depends on, using R as an example. Trained instructors lead a comprehensive, hands-on overview of what is possible with R, using an example dataset. Go from reading data into R to data types, functions, conditional statements, loops, how to write in RMarkdown, as well as best practices for writing R code that others can understand and use.

Since the goal of this workshop is to bring you up to speed with data analysis, it would be incomplete without instruction on a shell as well as a version control system. The shell is important in building reproducible data analysis pipelines where your R scripts may be just one component, Git is an incredibly useful tool for version control, collaboration and management of your coding projects. This workshop will provide you with the basic computing skills and best practices needed to be productive in a small research team. The format is a mixture of short seminars and hands-on practical exercises, and participants are encouraged to help one another, and to try applying what they have learned to their own research problems during and between sessions.

This free 2-day workshop is capped at 35 participants, and is on a first-come/first-served basis.
Instructors: Tim Norris, PhD, Research Data Scientist | Cameron Riopelle, PhD, Data Services Librarian
NOTE: Please bring a laptop (any OS) and charging cable.
Wednesday and Thursday, April 1-2, 2020
9:00 AM – 4:30 PM Course Hours, Both Days
Richter Library, Learning Commons Flexible Program Space (1st Floor), Room #102-B, Gables Campus

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SPONSORS

VIRTUAL Open House for new MSDS degree 4/1/2020
2020-04-01 12:00 - 13:00 UTC | Abess Center, 1365 Memorial Drive, Suite 230C-D, Coral Gables, Florida, 33146
Dubbed the “sexiest job of the 21st century” by Harvard Business Review, the Data Scientist is “a new key player in organizations. It’s a high-ranking professional with the training and curiosity to make discoveries in the world of big data.
The title has been around for only a few years, but thousands of data scientists are already working at both start-ups and well-established companies. Their sudden appearance on the business scene reflects the fact that companies are now wrestling with information that comes in varieties and volumes never encountered before.”
Data Scientists are in high demand. HBR explains: “Much of the current enthusiasm for big data focuses on technologies that make taming it possible, including Hadoop (the most widely used framework for distributed file system processing) and related open-source tools, cloud computing, and data visualization. While those are important breakthroughs, at least as important are the people with the skill set (and the mind-set) to put them to good use. On this front, demand has raced ahead of supply. Indeed, the shortage of data scientists is becoming a serious constraint in some sectors.”
If data analysis interests you, attend the Virtual Open House on Wed. 4/1/2020, 12:00-1:00 PM via ZOOM. Or, jump right in, and apply. The application is officially open on College Net: https://msdatascience.miami.edu/ . The new Master of Science in Data Science degree launches this fall!
Please RSVP for the Open House by 3/27

Mapping the Vernacular Symposium-POSTPONED
2020-04-17 09:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Watsco Center, 1245 Dauer Drive, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, United States
After careful consideration, the Mapping the Vernacular Symposium previously scheduled for April 17, 2020, at University of Miami, is POSTPONED due to statewide precautions for the COVID-19 Coronavirus, and the State of Florida’s public health emergency declaration.
The Institute for Data Science and Computing is committed to the health and welfare of our attendees, sponsors, and speakers, and the community as a whole, and have decided to err on the side of safety.
We thank you for your interest in our program and ask you to stay tuned to our website for future dates. All registration and application links have been disabled. If you have questions or concerns, please call 305-243-4962.

“Mapping the Vernacular” Symposium
Friday, April 17, 2020 | 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM | POSTPONED
Mapping the Vernacular: IDSC Symposium in new approaches for community driven sustainable development in urban informal environments.
In collaboration with the UM School of Architecture, the University of Miami Institute for Data Science & Computing (IDSC) will host a half-day symposium on the application of new technologies to facilitate community driven sustainable development in urban informal environments.
Through a recent pilot project—located in the community of Las Flores, an informal settlement in Barranquilla Colombia, and funded by the National Geographic Society, with additional support from Fundación Tecnoglass ESWindows, and IDSC—the Symposium explores how new drone survey technologies can be used in conjunction with established participatory data gathering methods to rapidly gather and produce community prioritized information. The combined methodology encourages storytelling from both physical—the built and natural environment—and cultural perspectives in the communities. Products include digital 3D models, high-resolution scaled aerial imagery, maps, oral histories, a census style survey, a public participatory GIS system (P/PGIS), a novel urban design concept, and a model document for data sharing agreements and a data governance board. The project is based on the assumption that the cooperative collection, review and discussion of data combined with dissemination through stories and maps leads to opportunities for a more just and sustainable society.
The Symposium will be held on Friday, April 17, 2020, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Watsco Center, Hurricane 100 Room, 1245 Dauer Dr, Coral Gables, FL 33146. Light breakfast, lunch, and complimentary parking will be provided. Directions
Who Should Attend
Anyone interested in sustainable development, urban design, drone survey technologies, photogrammetry, geographic information systems (GIS), and community engagement with mapping and data collection projects.

Background
By 2050 the United Nations estimates that 66 percent of the world population will be urban, and a large part of this urban population will join, or create new, informal communities in conditions of poverty. Nearly one billion people within this urban population currently live in such communities which are generally undocumented, lack land tenure, are comprised of non-durable or overcrowded housing, and are beyond the reach of government services and infrastructure. Challenges faced by residents include; lack of personal security, insufficient public health measures, and limited access to potable water sources. Additionally, residents of informal communities also face increased exposure to environmental hazards resulting in a greater risk for adverse health effects, particularly in children, as well as being in locations that are “highly vulnerable to natural disasters and are expected to experience the greatest impact of climate change” (UN 2014). Addressing such unplanned urban expansion is a principle challenge for sustainable development for the foreseeable future.
During an approximate ten-month period from October 2018 to July 2019, the team worked to facilitate participatory data collection and mapping in Las Flores, Barranquilla Colombia. This informal settlement located at the mouth of the Magdalena River, and adjacent to the Ciénaga de Mallorquin (a lagoon on the Caribbean Sea), was established approximately 70 years ago. Initially founded as a worker’s camp and fishing community, it is largely built on landfill that continually extends further into the Ciénaga. Two-thirds surrounded by water, and otherwise adjacent to factories and industrial spaces, Las Flores is a residential island, separate by kilometers from other residential areas of Barranquilla. Las Flores consists of approximately 2500 dwellings (~10,000 people) with varying degrees of access to government and commercial services such as sanitation, water and power.
While the discussion will be specific to the project in Las Flores, a principal goal of the symposium will be to collect perspectives from a variety of viewpoints regarding the applicability (and potential value) of the highlighted approach to other types of participatory community documentation projects.
Agenda
8:30 AM Registration Opens (light breakfast)
9:00 AM Welcome Address
9:15 AM Project Overview: Activities and Outcomes
During this segment, expect to hear about:
• Social Cartography
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• Drones
• Photogrammetry and 3D models
• Data and Data Governance
• Geospatial Data Visualization
• Public Participatory GIS (P/PGIS)
10:30 AM Exhibition Hall Demonstrations
Self-directed, more in depth experience with the opportunity to explore the project through five different exhibits focused on:
• The Community of Las Flores (past, present, future)
• Technology (drones, GIS, P/PGIS)
• Survey and Data (GIS and data governance)
• Social Cartography (draw some maps of South Florida)
• Urban Design (a novel urban design project informed by the community survey)
Light Lunch
12:00 PM Panel Discussion
Invited guests and project members discuss the project and outcomes with audience interaction via a Q+A session to include topics like:
• Challenges to Sustainable Development in Self-Organizing Urban Environments
• Participatory Democracy
• Things Happening in Barranquilla and Las Flores
• Applying These Methods to Other Types of Projects
2:00 PM Event Closes

Solutions Center Office Hours-RSMAS-CANX
2020-04-22 09:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York), 2020-04-29 09:00 - 11:00 UTC | Rosensteil School of Marine Atmospheric and Earth Science, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Virginia Key, Florida, 33149, United States
Office Hours sessions previously scheduled on all 3 campuses have been CANCELLED until further notice due to statewide precautions for the COVID-19 Coronavirus, and the State of Florida’s public health emergency declaration.

The Institute for Data Science and Computing is committed to the health and welfare of the University students, Staff, and Faculty, and the community as a whole, and have decided to err on the side of safety.
If you need computational help, the answer may be found in the documentation or frequently asked questions, or contact us via email at hpc@ccs.miami.edu
When composing your email, please provide a detailed description of the problem, paths to your job file and any outputs, the software modules you have loaded, and your job ID when appropriate.
Suggestions:

computer and operating system you are using
your CCS account ID
complete path to your job script file, program, or job submission
complete path to output files (if any)
error message(s) received
module(s) loaded ($ module list)
whether this job ran previously and what has changed since it last worked
steps you may have already taken to address your issues

For questions or concerns, please call 305-243-4962.

_______________________________________________________________
Could you use some help with technical troubleshooting? Are you having trouble installing software? Do you need answers to questions for a grant proposal? The Advanced Computing (AC) Team’s OFFICE HOURS can help! AC holds office hours on all 3 campuses to assist you:
Gables Campus: Thursdays 2-4:30 PM | Ungar 330E | Kalan Dawson, Systems Administrator
RSMAS Campus: Wednesdays 9-11 AM | MSC 223 | Warner Baringer, Senior Analyst/Systems Engineer
Medical Campus: Wednesdays 10 AM-2 PM | Soffer CRC 7th Floor | Pedro Davila, Systems Administrator
Advanced Computing can help with all kinds of technical troubles from how to use the new Triton supercomputer or Pegasus cluster, to queueing instructions, to resolving an error message. Consult with Warner at the RSMAS Campus on Wednesdays from 9:00-11:00 AM in the Doherty Marine Science Center, Room MSC 223.

Solutions Center Office Hours-Medical-CANX
2020-04-22 10:00 - 14:00, 2020-04-29 10:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Don Soffer Clinical Research Center, 1120 NW 14th St, Miami, FL, 33136, United States
Office Hours sessions previously scheduled on all 3 campuses have been CANCELLED until further notice due to statewide precautions for the COVID-19 Coronavirus, and the State of Florida’s public health emergency declaration.

The Institute for Data Science and Computing is committed to the health and welfare of the University students, Staff, and Faculty, and the community as a whole, and have decided to err on the side of safety.
If you need computational help, the answer may be found in the documentation or frequently asked questions, or contact us via email at hpc@ccs.miami.edu
When composing your email, please provide a detailed description of the problem, paths to your job file and any outputs, the software modules you have loaded, and your job ID when appropriate.
Suggestions:

computer and operating system you are using
your CCS account ID
complete path to your job script file, program, or job submission
complete path to output files (if any)
error message(s) received
module(s) loaded ($ module list)
whether this job ran previously and what has changed since it last worked
steps you may have already taken to address your issues

For questions or concerns, please call 305-243-4962.

_______________________________________________________________
Could you use some help with technical troubleshooting? Are you having trouble installing software? Do you need answers to questions for a grant proposal? The Advanced Computing (AC) Team’s OFFICE HOURS can help! AC holds office hours on all 3 campuses to assist you:
Gables Campus: Thursdays 2-4:30 PM | Ungar 330E | Kalan Dawson, Systems Administrator
RSMAS Campus: Wednesdays 9-11 AM | MSC 223 | Warner Baringer, Senior Analyst/Systems Engineer
Medical Campus: Wednesdays 10 AM-2 PM | Soffer CRC 7th Floor | Pedro Davila, Systems Administrator
Advanced Computing can help with all kinds of technical troubles from how to use the new Triton supercomputer or Pegasus cluster, to queueing instructions, to resolving an error message. Consult with Pedro at the Medical Campus on Wednesdays from 10:00 AM-2:00 PM in the Don Soffer Clinical Research Center, 1120 NW 14th St, Room CRC 710, Miami, FL 33136.

PyData Miami Conference—POSTPONED
2020-04-23 00:00 - 2020-04-24 23:59 (America/New_York) | Watsco Center, 1245 Dauer Drive, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, United States
#PyDataMiami2020 has been postponed. PyData is a 2-day conference on tools and techniques for machine learning, data analysis, visualization, and large-scale data infrastructure. We are an accessible, community-driven conference with talks and tutorials for all skill levels: students, practitioners, and researchers. PyData focuses on open-source computational tools for the Python programming language (such as NumPy, Pandas, and scikit-learn), as well as implementation-agnostic techniques, and other high level numerical languages, such as R and Julia.

Tickets

Diversity Scholarships
One of PyData’s goals is to increase awareness and excitement around opportunities for underrepresented groups in software engineering and data analytics. To increase diversity in scientific computing, our outreach program ranges from hosting workshops that introduce programming to young women to encouraging diversity in speakers at PyData.
For PyData Miami 2020, we are offering scholarship opportunities to those from underrepresented groups who may otherwise be unable to attend the conference.
Please note scholarships do not cover travel and lodging costs. Click HERE to submit an application.

About PyData
PyData provides a forum for the international community of users and developers of data analysis tools to share ideas and learn from each other. The global PyData network promotes discussion of best practices, new approaches, and emerging technologies for data management, processing, analytics, and visualization. PyData communities approach data science using many languages, including (but not limited to) Python, Julia, and R. We aim to be an accessible, community-driven conference, with novice to advanced level presentations. PyData tutorials and talks bring attendees the latest project features along with cutting-edge use cases.

April 23-24, 2020

WATSCO CENTER
University of Miami Coral Gables Campus
Fieldhouse / Multipurpose Room
1245 Dauer Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146
Map & Directions

Solutions Center Office Hours-Gables-CANX
2020-04-23 14:00 - 16:30, 2020-04-30 14:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Arthur A. Ungar Building, 1365 Memorial Drive, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, United States
Office Hours sessions previously scheduled on all 3 campuses have been CANCELLED until further notice due to statewide precautions for the COVID-19 Coronavirus, and the State of Florida’s public health emergency declaration.

The Institute for Data Science and Computing is committed to the health and welfare of the University students, Staff, and Faculty, and the community as a whole, and have decided to err on the side of safety.
If you need computational help, the answer may be found in the documentation or frequently asked questions, or contact us via email at hpc@ccs.miami.edu
When composing your email, please provide a detailed description of the problem, paths to your job file and any outputs, the software modules you have loaded, and your job ID when appropriate.
Suggestions:

computer and operating system you are using
your CCS account ID
complete path to your job script file, program, or job submission
complete path to output files (if any)
error message(s) received
module(s) loaded ($ module list)
whether this job ran previously and what has changed since it last worked
steps you may have already taken to address your issues

For questions or concerns, please call 305-243-4962.

_______________________________________________________________
Could you use some help with technical troubleshooting? Are you having trouble installing software? Do you need answers to questions for a grant proposal? The Advanced Computing (AC) Team’s OFFICE HOURS can help! AC holds office hours on all 3 campuses to assist you:
Gables Campus: Thursdays 2-4:30 PM | Ungar 330E | Kalan Dawson, Systems Administrator
RSMAS Campus: Wednesdays 9-11 AM | MSC 223 | Warner Baringer, Senior Analyst/Systems Engineer
Medical Campus: Wednesdays 10 AM-2 PM | Soffer CRC 7th Floor | Pedro Davila, Systems Administrator
Advanced Computing can help with all kinds of technical troubles from how to use the new Triton supercomputer or Pegasus cluster, to queueing instructions, to resolving an error message. Consult with Kalan at the Gables Campus on Thursdays from 2:00-4:30PM in the Arthur A. Ungar Building, 1365 Memorial Drive, Room 330E, Coral Gables, FL 33146.

On Zoom: IDSC Fellows Final Presentations
2020-04-30 14:00 - 16:00 UTC | Newman Alumni Center, 6200 San Amaro Drive, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, United States
Join us on Thursday, April 30, at 2:00 PM via Zoom, for the 2019-2020 IDSC Fellows’ final project presentations. This event is open to interested UM Faculty/Staff/Students.
The vision of the IDSC Fellows Program is to inspire a new generation of leaders in computational science to cross the traditional boundaries between disciplines, by equipping them with new cross-disciplinary skills and experience. The Program does this by offering mentorship outside the students’ area of expertise. “IDSC Fellow” is a prestigious designation awarded to two undergraduate students and two graduate students per year.
https://miami.zoom.us/j/8099371251?pwd=[REDACTED] Link includes password.

Meet the 2019-2020 IDSC Fellows:

Chitra Banarjee
Project: Movement and Social Approach in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Mentors:
Gang Ren, PhD | IDSC AI + Machine Learning
Daniel S. Messinger, PhD | Professor of Psychology
Chitra is an undergraduate at UM studying Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Mathematics (Applied Analysis) with a minor in Chemistry. She’s currently working under Dr. Daniel Messinger in the Interactive Behavior in Schools (IBIS) project to understand social movement and approach in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) through objective, continuous measurements. As an IDSC Fellow, she hopes to explore the potential of automated behavioral measurement for objectively describing the ASD phenotype through quantification of the social movement deficits characteristic of children with ASD in their interactions with their peers.

Anthony Mario Bonacolta
Project: Single-cell Transcriptomic Sequencing of a Coral during the Bleaching Process
Mentors:
Ben Kirtman, PhD | Deputy Director, Institute for Data Science and Computing
Director, IDSC Atmosphere, Ocean, and Earth Science
Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, RSMAS
Javier del Campo, PhD | Assistant Professor, Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, RSMAS
Anthony is a first year PhD student in Dr. Javier del Campo’s Marine Microbial Ecology and Evolution Laboratory in the Marine Biology and Ecology Department at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (RSMAS). His research focuses on the role of micro-eukaryotes and bacteria in marine organisms.

Jia Geng
Project: Developing Deep Learning Models for Rotifer (Bachionus spp.) Detection and Classification
Mentors:
Amin Sarafraz, PhD | IDSC Software Engineering
Research Assistant Professor, College of Engineering
Daniel Benetti, PhD | Director of Aquaculture and Professor, Department of Marine Ecosystems and Society
Jia is currently a PhD student in Marine Ecosystem and Society under the supervision of Dr. Daniel Benetti. He received his BS in Aquaculture from the Ocean University of China in 2015 and Graduate Certification in Data Science Foundations from North Carolina State University in 2019. His doctoral research centers on developing AI systems to automated live feed cultivation for fish hatcheries. During the IDSC Fellows program, he hopes to apply deep learning models to achieve high accuracy rotifer detection and classification. His project website can be reached via GitHub: gengjia0214/AIRoti.
Jia was recently awarded an AI for Earth Microsoft Azure sponsored grant. Microsoft’s AI for Earth program awards support projects that change the way people and organizations monitor, model, and ultimately manage Earth’s natural systems.

Karna Nagalla
Project: Computational Approaches to Microbiome Alterations and Disease States
Mentors:
Sylvia Daunert, PhD Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Lucille P. Markey Chair of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Director, Dr. J. T. MacDonald Biomedical Nanotechnology Institute
Director of Research, Center for Integrative and Complementary Medicine
Gregory O’Connor, PhD | Post Doctoral Associate, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Karna is an undergraduate at the University of Miami studying Microbiology/Immunology and Applied Math with a minor in Chemistry and Electrical Engineering. He will be working under Dr. Sylvia Daunert and Dr. Gregory O’Connor to analyze human microbiome changes caused by various diseases and their progression. Through the IDSC Fellowship, he hopes to continue learning different analyses programs to analyze massive amounts of data as well as gain a further understanding of the human microbiome and its potential role in disease treatments.

Data Ethics During COVID-19
2020-07-23 16:00 - 17:00 UTC | Zoom (online)
The University of Miami Institute for Data Science and Computing, Institute for Bioethics and Health Policy, and the Ethics Programs are collaborating to host a Zoom discussion on Data Ethics during COVID-19. From public health surveillance to contact tracing and the never-ending challenge of balancing the duties of science and privacy, the Covid-19 pandemic is a test-case of our ability to manage extraordinary challenges. The ethical decisions surrounding data collection, sharing, and use, shapes and will help us meet these challenges.
Panelists will address:

How their work is informed by public health surveillance and analysis in the ways data are shared with laypeople and policy makers
How their work influences data science, and how they are meeting the tricky ethical challenges the pandemic raises for data scientists and users
How the pandemic highlights the importance of ethical considerations of data governance, analysis, collection, curation, and sharing
What considerations need to be addressed in the creation and dissemination of scientific policies that affect public behavior—and shape public trust?

Panelists will also field questions from the moderator and the audience. This event is free and open to the public.
Thursday, July 23, 2020 | 4:00 – 5:00 PM
REGISTER NOW

PANELISTS

• Brian Lee | Senior Advisor, Informatics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of the Chief Information Officer

• Ken Goodman | Founder and Director, UM Institute for Bioethics and Health Policy, and
Director, Data Ethics and Society, UM Institute Data Science and Computing (IDSC)

• Soyeon Ahn | Chair and Professor, Educational and Psychological Studies Department,
UM School of Education & Human Development

MODERATOR

• Nicolas Tsinoremas | Institute Director, UM Institute Data Science and Computing (IDSC)

HOST

• Michael Mannino | Director of Programs, UM Institute Data Science and Computing (IDSC)

Inside IDSC Medical Campus Virtual Town Hall 9/24/2020
2020-09-24 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom (online)
The Center for Computational Science (CCS) has recently expanded and transformed into the Institute for Data Science and Computing (IDSC), broadening its computational resources and services, research agendas, personnel, vision, and mission. IDSC is re-introducing itself to the UM community starting with Town Halls held on all three campuses.

Medical Campus Town Hall Meeting (via Zoom): Thursday 9/24/2020 from 4:00-5:00 PM. Please bring your questions and ideas.
Register Now

Inside IDSC RSMAS Campus Virtual Town Hall 9/30/2020
2020-09-30 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom (online)
The Center for Computational Science (CCS) has recently expanded and transformed into the Institute for Data Science and Computing (IDSC), broadening its computational resources and services, research agendas, personnel, vision, and mission. IDSC is re-introducing itself to the UM community starting with Town Halls held on all three campuses.

RSMAS Campus Town Hall Meeting (via Zoom): Wednesday, 9/30/2020 from 4:00-5:00 PM. Please bring your questions and ideas.
Register Now

[photo credit: Sevag Mehterian Photography]

Inside IDSC Gables Campus Virtual Town Hall 10/28/2020
2020-10-28 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom (online)
The Center for Computational Science (CCS) has recently expanded and transformed into the Institute for Data Science and Computing (IDSC), broadening its computational resources and services, research agendas, personnel, vision, and mission. IDSC is re-introducing itself to the UM community starting with Town Halls held on all three campuses.

Gables Campus Town Hall Meeting (via Zoom): Wednesday, 10/28/2020 from 4:00 to 5:00 PM. Please bring your questions and ideas.
Register Now

Meet A Data Scientist-Alberto Cairo
2020-11-04 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom (online)
If you have ever wondered what data scientists do, the University of Miami Institute for Data Science and Computing (IDSC) is giving you an opportunity to learn about this important, multifaceted profession. On November 4, IDSC is launching a series of “Meet a Data Scientist” talks with Alberto Cairo, PhD, a national expert on the use of data in visual graphics and journalism.

“This exciting new series will introduce the people behind the data, their lives, interests, and career choices,” said Nick Tsinoremas, PhD, IDSC director, vice provost for research computing and data, and professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, computer science, and health informatics. “This is a great opportunity to understand how these professionals use data to solve grand challenges in their respective fields.”
Here is the schedule of “Meet a Data Scientist” virtual talks held on Zoom from 4:00-5:00 PM:
Alberto Cairo, November 4, 2020 | (Post-event summary)
Ben Kirtman , November 18, 2020 | (Post-event summary)
Tim Norris, December 9, 2020 | (Post-event summary)
Ken Goodman, January 14, 2021 | (Post-event video and summary here.)
Yelena Yesha, January 27, 2021 | (Post-event video and summary here.)
Mitsu Ogihara, Rescheduled | DATE FORTHCOMING
The first talk will feature Dr. Cairo, director of IDSC Visualization, Data Communication, and Information Design; the Knight Chair in Visual Journalism; and an assistant professor in the Department of Journalism and Media Management and the Department of Interactive Media.
Dr. Cairo has an extensive career in the news industry and has consulted with media organizations and educational institutions in more than 30 countries. He currently works as a consultant for Google and the Congressional Budget Office. Microsoft has called Dr. Cairo a pioneer who’s always been “at the vanguard of visual journalism.”
He is the author of the several books, including:

How Charts Lie: Getting Smarter About Visual Information (W. W. Norton 2019)
The Functional Art: An Introduction to Information Graphics and Visualization (Peachpit Press/Pearson Education 2012), and
The Truthful Art: Data, Charts, and Maps for Communication (Peachpit Press/Pearson Education 2016).

He has also written popular articles for numerous publications, such as The New York Times and Scientific American. In 2019, he was named an honorary member of the International Statistical Institute.

Story by Richard Westlund

2-Day Python for Scientific Computing
2020-11-09 09:00 - 2020-11-10 16:30 (America/New_York) | Zoom (online)
This free 2-day intensive virtual workshop is designed to provide a foundation of basic concepts that all programming depends on, using the general-purpose programming language, Python, as an example. There are no prerequisites and the workshop is designed for computer users from beginners to advanced; it a comprehensive, hands-on introduction to data analysis using Python that will cover topics including data types, functions, conditional statements, loops, errors and exceptions and debugging. Basic data management, version control, and command line computing are also covered as an introduction to remote high performance computing.
This Session is Now Full

Instructors
Tim Norris, PhD, Research Data Scientist, UM Libraries
Cameron Riopelle, PhD, Head of Data Services, UM Libraries
A syllabus will be posted with preparations instructions.

Monday and Tuesday, November 9-10, 2020
9:00 AM – 4:30 PM Course Hours, Both Days (one hour break for lunch 12:00-1:00 PM)

Meet A Data Scientist-Ben Kirtman
2020-11-18 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom (online)
If you have ever wondered what data scientists do, the University of Miami Institute for Data Science and Computing (IDSC) is giving you an opportunity to learn about this important, multifaceted profession. On November 18, IDSC is hosting the second in the series of “Meet a Data Scientist” talks with Ben Kirtman, PhD, a Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. Dr. Kirtman uses atmosphere-ocean general circulation models to study the predictability and variability of the Earth’s climate system.

Dr. Kirtman teaches graduate courses on the general circulation of the atmosphere and El Niño/Southern Oscillation, and climate prediction and predictability. He also teaches dynamic meteorology and atmospheric thermodynamics to undergraduates, and he mentors graduate students in the Meteorology and Physical Oceanography graduate program, as well as post-doctoral researchers.

His research is a wide-ranging program designed to understand and quantify the limits of climate predictability from days to decades. His research also involves understanding how the climate will change in response to changes in anthropogenic (e.g., greenhouse gases) and natural (e.g., volcanoes) forcing. This research involves hypothesis testing numerical experiments, using sophisticated state-of-the-art climate models and experimental realtime prediction. His group uses and has access to a suite of climate models, climate data, and high performance computational platforms.
“This exciting new series will introduce the people behind the data, their lives, interests, and career choices,” said Nick Tsinoremas, PhD, IDSC director, vice provost for research computing and data, and professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, computer science, and health informatics. “This is a great opportunity to understand how these professionals use data to solve grand challenges in their respective fields.”
Here is the schedule of “Meet a Data Scientist” virtual talks held on Zoom from 4:00-5:00 PM:
Alberto Cairo, November 4, 2020 | (Post-event summary)
Ben Kirtman , November 18, 2020 | (Post-event summary)
Tim Norris, December 9, 2020 | (Post-event summary)
Ken Goodman, January 14, 2021 | (Post-event video and summary here.)
Yelena Yesha, January 27, 2021 | (Post-event video and summary here.)

Data Citizens: A Distinguished Lecture Series Begins with Mira Marcus-Kalish 11/23
2020-11-23 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom (online)
Internationally renowned Israeli researcher Mira Marcus-Kalish, PhD, Director, International Research Affairs, Tel Aviv University, opens IDSC ’s new Data Citizens: A Distinguished Lecture Series with a talk on “Medical Informatics—Promise and Barriers towards Precise Medicine” at 10:00 AM (to 12:00 noon Eastern time) on Monday, November 23.
Register Now
Dr. Marcus-Kalish’s main areas of research are mathematical modeling, converging technologies, and data mining. Her focus is on disease signature identification, based on targeted analysis of the micro and macro environmental clinical features, using newly developed analytical tools for big and small data analysis to deliver reliable, personalized, and precise medicine for the benefit of society. “The COVID-19 global health emergency has affected physical and mental health,” she said. “There is also a strong association between stress-related disorders and the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Those connections emphasize the need to collect a broad band of data across countries and continents—while bridging conceptual, cultural, curation, and technology adaption barriers—preserving privacy, and ensuring reliable, advanced analysis tools.”
Dr. Marcus-Kalish has been active in the Brain Medical Informatics Platform, developed by the European Union Human Brain Flagship Project, which collects clinical data from 30 hospital. Her laboratory developed the “3C” Categorize, Classify, Cluster Methodology, which incorporates expert medical knowledge into the analysis of the disease manifestation and potential biomarkers. Other areas of her research include rehabilitation of the discrete sensory motor, learning function, drug toxicity, data mining, and interdisciplinary initiative on “Healthy Aging.”
Dr. Marcus-Kalish was one of the founders of the Dead Sea Research Institute in Masada, studying “Life in Extreme Conditions—A Lesson from Nature.” The focus was on the adaptation and survival of human life and culture at the lowest place of Earth, and the implications for today’s changing climate.
“We are excited to launch this engaging new virtual Data Citizens: A Distinguished Lecture Series, which will include panels and in-depth talks by top-level experts in the field of data science,” said Michael Mannino, PhD, IDSC Director of Programs. “Topics will include the role of data science in fields like psychology, climate change, healthcare, art, neuroscience, and ethics.”
This is event is co-sponsored with CARTA.

Big Data, Business, and the Pandemic
2020-12-03 15:00 - 16:30 UTC | Zoom (online)
Big data, data analytics, advanced computing, and algorithms are rapidly and profoundly changing every sphere of human activity. Advanced computing gives us the ability to reliably and cost effectively store petabytes of data; and machine learning algorithms can crunch through massive datasets in real time to extract business intelligence and socially relevant information, giving firms new marketing tools, like mobile geo-social targeting.

These tools have also empowered customers, making them more savvy in their interactions with business. The businesses, nonprofits, health care providers, government agencies, entrepreneurs, and educational institutions that harness these trends have an historic opportunity to gain an advantage over their competitors. However, the current pandemic poses new challenges to business at all levels and offers both perils and promises for the future. This conference will address issues at the intersection of data science, artificial intelligence, and business, given the current state of the global crisis. The 5th Annual Big Data Conference focuses on Big Data, Business, and the Pandemic and gathers industry leaders to address these topics:

How is the pandemic affecting, both positively and negatively, businesses in diverse industries?
How has big data and AI technologies helped businesses in the challenges that they faced because of the pandemic?
How do our panelists see their business model change in the post-pandemic world?
What role will data science/AI technologies have in that post pandemic business model?

Join us on Thursday, December 3 for an in-depth discussion, with some of the top leaders in innovation, business, and technology from local, national, and international arenas. This year’s Keynote Speaker is Manos Spanos, Senior Vice President of Brand Marketing for the yogurt business unit at Danone, North America.

Keynote
Manos Spanos, Senior Vice President, Brand Marketing, Yogurt Business Unit | Danone, North America
Manos Spanos leads the marketing efforts for such brands as Activia, Dannon, Danimals, Light & Fit, Oikos, Two Good, and more. Previously at Danone, Mr. Spanos was SVP of the Marketing Center of Excellence and led a cross-functional team that included media, insights, analytics, consumer engagement, and design. Prior to Danone, Mr. Spanos worked at PepsiCo, where his last role was marketing VP of flavors and energy drinks. Mr. Spanos is an alumnus of Hartwick College of New York, with a bachelor’s in management and an MBA in marketing from the University of Miami.
TALK “Brand Story Telling in the Age of AI”
Marketing technology, and particularly, the use of AI in leveraging Big Data, is a trend that has been building progressively over the last few years . . . However, recently, we see a significant acceleration in both the interest from Marketers and the solutions that are being offered. This can be attributed to the technological advancements and the coming regulatory environment/changes (i.e. cookieless world), as well as the fast shift towards digital that the Pandemic has accelerated. In this discussion, we will take a look into some practical applications of AI Marketing technology in Brand Storytelling for Danone that are helping us drive significant growth!

Thursday, December 3, 2020 | 3:00-5:00 PM • Register Now

Moderator
Pete Martinez
Chairman and CEO | Game Changer Tec and SIVOTEC Analytics
This year’s Big Data Conference moderator will be Pete Martinez. Mr. Martinez serves as Chairman and CEO of Game Changer Tec, LLC and SIVOTEC Analytics; high innovation enterprises at the intersection of sports, health, technology, and big data analytics.

Panelists
The Big Data 2020 panelists will discuss how organization has changed, what the perils and promises are in a virtual environment, and, working in enterprise AI and data science during a global pandemic. Panelists announced so far include:

Athina Hadjixenofontos, PhD
Data Science Manager, Quantitative Analytics Manager
Wells Fargo | Athina is a data scientist with extensive experience with large datasets and complex study designs typical of statistical genetics. She is experienced with text, financial, genomic, and image data, and is passionate about effective study design and the clear communication of technical results.

Christine Johnson
Vice President, Innovation, Economic Development
The Beacon Council | Christine leads recruitment, retention, and expansion efforts for the technology and innovation sector, supporting the entrepreneurial landscapes by leveraging resources and brokering relationships to foster community growth.

Ashwin Kumar
Associate VP, Revenue Cycle Management
Jackson Health System | Ashwin creates complex tech-enabled solutions to drive process improvement and growth in all revenue cycle areas, including health information management, patient access, clinical documentation improvement, revenue integrity, and denials management,

Travis Montague
Founder and CEO, Holler | Travis leads a top-notch team of animators and AI scientists in building Holler, the next-generation messaging experience. He’s been included in Forbes 30 Under 30, Entrepreneur Magazine’s Most Daring Entrepreneurs, and has led Holler to a place on Fast Company’s 2020 Most Innovative Companies List for developing greater emotional expression in today’s digital conversations. He is passionate about enhancing digital communication with creativity and technology, and has taken the stage at Cannes Lions, CES, Social Media Week, Advertising Week, SXSW and Harvard Business School to ignite conversations on the topic.

Yelena Yesha, PhD
Chief Innovation Officer, and Head, International Relations
UM Institute for Data Science and Computing | In her IDSC roles, Dr. Yesha assists faculty in engaging government and industrial partners to collaborate with the University, and consults faculty on developing research ideas into innovations. Dr. Yesha is also a tenured Distinguished University Professor at the Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and, she is the Director of the National Science Foundation Center for Accelerated Real Time Analytics (CARTA).

Agenda
3:00 PM Welcome Address and Keynote
3:25 PM Big Data Poster Presentations
3:50 PM Panel Discussion
4:40 PM Virtual Happy Hour

Co-Sponsors

Conference Organizers

Joseph Johnson, PhD, Associate Professor | Miami Herbert Business School

Michael Mannino, PhD, Director of Engagement | UM IDSC

Mitsunori Ogihara, PhD, Professor | UM Department of Computer Science and Director | AI + Machine Learning, IDSC

Meet A Data Scientist-Tim Norris
2020-12-09 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom (online)
If you have ever wondered what data scientists do, the University of Miami Institute for Data Science and Computing (IDSC) is giving you an opportunity to learn about this important, multifaceted profession. On December 9, at 4:00 PM, IDSC is hosting the third in the series of “Meet a Data Scientist” talks with Data Scientist Tim Norris, PhD.

As a Data Scientist with a joint appointment between the Library and IDSC, Tim’s interest lies in studying the flow of data throughout the entire research cycle from inception of the research question to the publication and preservation of the results.
“This exciting new series will introduce the people behind the data, their lives, interests, and career choices,” said Nick Tsinoremas, PhD, IDSC director, vice provost for research computing and data, and professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, computer science, and health informatics. “This is a great opportunity to understand how these professionals use data to solve grand challenges in their respective fields.”
Here is the schedule of “Meet a Data Scientist” virtual talks held on Zoom from 4:00-5:00 PM. These events are free and open to the public.
Alberto Cairo, November 4, 2020 | (Post-event summary)
Ben Kirtman , November 18, 2020 | Post-event summary)
Tim Norris, December 9, 2020 | (Post-event summary)
Ken Goodman, January 14, 2021 | (Post-event video and summary here.)
Yelena Yesha, January 27, 2021 | (Post-event video and summary here.)
Tim’s own research focuses on geographic information systems (GIS) and geospatial data visualizations (cartography), participatory research methodologies, and how the sustainable governance of human, natural and informational resources intersect. The outcome of this work is to better understand the curation, management and governance of data resources and assets in research institutions at scales from local to global. This work forms part of a larger inter-disciplinary effort to provide data management services and support for digital scholarship at the University of Miami and beyond.
Prior to arriving at the University of Miami Dr. Norris’ doctoral work focused on community based mapping and participatory research methods as tools to mediate public/private relationships centered on the management and governance of natural resources in the global south. Tim holds a PhD in Environmental Studies (a.k.a. geography and a little ecology) from the University of California Santa Cruz; his doctoral work was funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Geographic Society. In another life, Dr. Norris was a GIS technician and data curator for the University of California Industry-University Cooperative Research Program.

Data Citizens: A Distinguished Lecture Series presents Deborah Stone 12/10
2020-12-10 16:00 - 17:30 (America/New_York) | Zoom (online)
IDSC is pleased to announce the second distinguished lecture in the Data Citizens series, scholar and author Deborah Stone, PhD. Professor Emerita at Brandeis University, Dr. Stone is a political scientist whose work spans public policy, sociology, philosophy, and law. Dr. Stone has taught at M.I.T., Duke, Yale, and Aarhus University in Denmark, in addition to Brandeis. Her widely acclaimed textbook, Policy Paradox: The Art of Political Decision Making, explores the squishy but often unacknowledged values, stories, and psychology that drive policymaking and analysis. She has written extensively on health policy, disability, caregiving, and altruism—or lack of it—in politics. Dr. Stone will talk about her new book, Counting: How We Use Numbers to Decide What Matters.
Register Now | Thursday 12/10/2020 4:00-5:30 PM via Zoom
TALK Title: “There’s No Such Thing as a Raw Number”
The word “data” has come to be synonymous with numbers. When policymakers demand evidence, they mean numbers. Numbers have become our truth meters because most people think they’re more objective than words and stories. But if we look closely at where numbers come from, even kindergarten-level counting requires humans to make judgments about what counts as the thing they’re counting. Move on to more complicated and contentious concepts such as unemployment, gender violence, crime risk, or Covid deaths, and the possibilities for subjectivity and power plays mushroom. Counting and measurement are tremendously useful tools, but we should be wary of relying of them to resolve political conflicts and moral dilemmas.

Advanced Computing User Community Town Hall
2020-12-15 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom (online)
IDSC is broadening its computational resources and services. We invite you to attend a Town Hall specifically for the advanced computing user community.
This User Community Town Hall will focus on the IDSC service unit business model and will introduce newly established subsidy programs designed to help the heavy user as well as the uninitiated.
Register Now | Tuesday, December 15, 2020, 4:00-5:00 PM

Meet A Data Scientist-Ken Goodman
2021-01-13 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom (online)
If you have ever wondered what data scientists do, IDSC is giving you an opportunity to learn about this important, multifaceted profession. On January 13, IDSC is hosting the fourth in the series of “Meet a Data Scientist” talks with Data Scientist Ken Goodman, PhD, Director, IDSC Data Ethics and Society, Co-Director of the University’s Ethics Programs, and Founder and Director of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Institute for Bioethics and Health Policy. The Institute for Bioethics and Health Policy has been designated a World Health Organization Collaborating Center in Ethics and Global Health Policy, one of ten in the world.
Dr. Goodman is a Co-Founder of the North American Center for Ethics and Health Information Technology, a partnership with the Center for Bioethics at Indiana University. He is also a Professor of Medicine at the University of Miami with appointments in the Department of Philosophy, Department of Health Informatics, Department of Public Health Sciences, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, School of Nursing and Health Studies, and Department of Anesthesiology.
He is a past Chair of the Ethics Committee of AMIA (American Medical Informatics Association), for which organization he co-founded the Ethical, Legal and Social Issues Working Group. He has been elected as a Fellow of the American College of Medical Informatics (FACMI). He is also a Fellow of the American College of Epidemiology (FACE), and past chair of its Ethics Committee.
Dr. Goodman directs the Florida Bioethics Network and chairs the UHealth/University of Miami Hospital Ethics Committee and the Adult Ethics Committee for Jackson Memorial Health System.
His research has emphasized issues in health information technology and in epidemiology and public health. His latest book, Ethics, Medicine, and Information Technology: Intelligent Machines and the Transformation of Health Care (Cambridge University Press 2016) identifies and analyzes a number of issues in biomedical informatics. He has edited a book on the Terri Schiavo case for Oxford University Press, published a book about ethics and evidence-based medicine for Cambridge University Press, co-authored a book of case studies in ethics and health computing for Springer-Verlag, and co-authored another volume of case studies, in ethics in public health, for the American Public Health Association.
He has also co-authored a book on artificial intelligence, edited a book on ethics and medical computing, co-edited a volume on artificial intelligence, and published and presented numerous papers in bioethics, including end-of-life care, the philosophy of science, and computing. [PubMed]
“This exciting new series will introduce the people behind the data, their lives, interests, and career choices,” said Nick Tsinoremas, PhD, IDSC director, vice provost for research computing and data, and professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, computer science, and health informatics. “This is a great opportunity to understand how these professionals use data to solve grand challenges in their respective fields.”
Here is the schedule of “Meet a Data Scientist” virtual talks held on Zoom from 4:00-5:00 PM. These events are free and open to the public.
Alberto Cairo, November 4, 2020 | (Post-event summary)
Ben Kirtman , November 18, 2020 | Post-event summary)
Tim Norris, December 9, 2020 | (Post-event summary)
Ken Goodman, January 14, 2021 | (Post-event video and summary here.)
Yelena Yesha, January 27, 2021 | (Post-event video and summary here.)
