Frost Institute for Data Science & Computing

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.

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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

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.

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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.)

Meet A Data Scientist-Yelena Yesha
2021-01-27 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 Wednesday, January 27, 2021, IDSC is hosting the fifth session in the “Meet a Data Scientist” series with Yelena Yesha, PhD, a Visiting Distinguished Professor at the University of Miami Computer Science Department, and Chief Innovation Officer and Head, International Relations for IDSC.

TALK TITLE: “Data Science: A Paradigm of Actionable Knowledge” Click for Video and Summary
“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 below.)
Ben Kirtman , November 18, 2020 | Post-event summary below.)
Tim Norris, December 9, 2020 | (Post-event summary below.)
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

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). She received her B.Sc. degrees in Computer Science and in Applied Mathematics from York University, Toronto, Canada, in 1984, and her M.Sc. degree and Ph.D. degree in Computer Science from The Ohio State University in 1986 and 1989, respectively.
Dr. Yesha has published 11 books as author or editor, and more than 200 papers in prestigious refereed journals and refereed conference proceedings, and she has been awarded external funding in a total amount exceeding 40 million dollars. She is currently working with leading industrial companies and government agencies on new innovative technology in the areas of cybersecurity and big data analytics with applications to electronic commerce, climate change, and health. Dr. Yesha is a fellow of the IBM Centre for Advanced Studies.
Forbes magazine looked at Dr. Yesha’s accomplishments in technology in a two-part profile: Part I: Dr. Yelena Yesha: Meet The Tenacious Pioneer Pushing Innovation To Address Real World Problems and Part II: Dr. Yelena Yesha: Pushing Technology Boundaries To Solve The World’s Biggest Problems.

Past Sessions:
>YELENA YESHA 1/27/2021 Click for Video and Summary. TALK TITLE: “Data Science: A Paradigm of Actionable Knowledge”

>KEN GOODMAN 1/14/2021 Click for Video and Summary. TALK TITLE: “Data Science + Ethics – UM’s Role in the New Research”

>TIM NORRIS 12/9/2020 TALK TITLE: “Data Science + Ethics – UM’s Role in the New Research”
Opening with a parallel to the writings of Enlightenment-era thinker John Locke on the changes in property and governance and shift to capitalism at that time as it relates to data science in making today’s world a better place, self-described “bit pusher” Tim Norris shared his fascinating journey into a career as an “embedded data curator.”
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Tim is passionate about making data more useful, sharing it, and not storing it away; It’s important that we curate the data and tell stories with it. In this commonly used DIKW pyramid representation, the base layer “the World” was missing—he added it—as it helps to illustrate his objection to the term “information ecosystem” because that takes away “the world”. He was taught Statistics by a Buddhist monk who emphasized that your interpretation of the data is what counts the most.

In this vein, he offered this quote:

Tim’s fascinating career in mapmaking data evolved as did the technology used. He learned that the data doesn’t tell the story. Humans tell the story. “It takes a certain amount of understanding of data to manipulate it and communicate the results.” The current global governance tendency toward open data is great but there are still many obstacles to data sharing.

The Q and A touched on the “So what?!” of working with data and who benefits from data extracted from us as we go about our lives. Data is a public good, but who should pay for the costs of gathering and processing it? A data tax maybe?

Tim recommended everyone watch The Social Dilemma (currently on Netflix).
He also noted that Wall Street’s Standard & Poor’s is now the “world’s largest, global resource for index-based concepts, data, and research.”

Click here for Tim’s full Powerpoint presentation (use arrow keys to navigate). Here is his github profile.

>BEN KIRTMAN 11/18/2020
The second talk featured Dr. Ben Kirtman, 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 also teaches graduate courses on the general circulation of the atmosphere and El Niño/Southern Oscillation, and climate prediction and predictability. Originally from Santa Barbara, California, Dr. Kirtman shared a funny story about his early start with computers and his (harmless) hacking efforts that got also his [also brilliant] Dad in a little ‘hot water’. Relating subsequently having to monitor flooding in his basement (related to El Niño) as a punishment, he’s come a long way! He’s understandably proud of the fact that the University of Miami has been the lead in the multi-agency, multi-institutional effort to improve NOAA’s seasonal and sub-seasonal operative forecasts since 2015. His NMME (North-American Multi-Model Ensemble, on the chart below in light pink NCAR_CCSM4) forecasting system consists of coupled models from US modeling centers including NOAA/NCEP, NOAA/GFDL, IRI, NCAR, NASA, and from Canada’s modeling center. It has proven extremely effective at quantifying prediction uncertainty due to uncertainty in model formulation, and has proven to produce better prediction quality (on average) than any single model ensemble.

The talk went from touching on the disparate data sources that go into forecasting El Niño and La Niña, to using machine learning to capture the Gulfstream’s interactions with the atmosphere (parameterization/parametrization), and ended with questions from the audience on the future of machine learning in climate prediction.

Dr, Kirtman concluded with emphasizing that “What question are you trying to solve?” should drive what data/methods you use. He conveyed that new climate model(s) will be a blend with machine learning, which may lead to breakthroughs on how models work.

Dr. Kirtman 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.

>ALBERTO CAIRO 11/4/2020
(Read the post-series-launch story here.)
The first talk featured 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.
In his 11/4 presentation, Dr. Cairo shared the following tips/tools:

Mike Monteiro’s book “Ruined by Design” (Listen to Mike Monteiro’s speech “The Smallest Sliver of Hope” from the IDSC-hosted Data Intersections 2020 on our YouTube channel.)
https://twotone.io A tool to create sound from data: open source, free, works on the browser
https://colorbrewer2.org to make sure visualization can be read by color-blind viewers
TOOLS he likes for #communicatingdata

https://www.datawrapper.de/
https://flourish.studio/
https://www.adobe.com/products/illustrator.html
https://www.tidyverse.org/

TOOLS he likes for #exploringdata

https://www.r-project.org/about.html
https://www.python.org/
https://www.tableau.com/trial/tableau-software
https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/

TOOLS he likes for #mappingdata

Commercial https://www.arcgis.com/index.html
Free https://qgis.org/en/site/

Advanced Computing User Community Townhall
2021-02-02 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom (online)
IDSC is broadening its computational resources and services. We invite you to attend a Townhall specifically for the advanced computing user community.
This User Community Townhall 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, February 2, 2021, 4:00-5:00 PM

Data Citizens presents Robert Atlas 2/10/2021
2021-02-10 11:00 - 12:30 (America/New_York) | Zoom (online)
IDSC is pleased to announce the third distinguished lecture in the Data Citizens series, Dr. Robert Atlas, Research Professor and Global Coordinator for CARTA, University of Maryland Baltimore County, and, Director Emeritus/ NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory.
Register Now | Wednesday 2/10/2021 11:00 AM-12:30 PM via WebX
TALK Title: “Modeling and Simulation for Reducing the Risks Associated with Extreme Weather”
The reduction of losses related to hurricanes and other extreme weather phenomena involves many complex aspects ranging from purely theoretical, observational, computational and numerical, to operational and decisional. A correct warning can lead to proper evacuation and damage mitigation, and produce immense benefits. However, over-warning can lead to substantial unnecessary costs, a reduction of confidence in warnings, and a lack of appropriate response. In this chain of information, the role played by scientific research is crucial. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in combination with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), other agencies, and universities, is contributing to these efforts through observational and theoretical research to better understand the processes associated with extreme weather. This includes model and data assimilation development, Observing System Experiments (OSE), and Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSE), designed to ascertain the value of existing observing systems and the potential of new observing systems to improve weather prediction and theoretical understanding. This high level talk, which was first given as the Keynote address at the 2019 Winter Simulation Conference, will describe innovative research for developing advanced next-generation global and regional models to improve weather prediction, and, the application of OSSEs to optimize the observing system.
Bio
Dr. Robert “Bob” M. Atlas is the former Chief Meteorologist at NASA’s Goddard Laboratory for Atmospheres, and is Director Emeritus of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) on Virgina Key in Miami, Florida. Some of the areas he focused his research on included the prediction, movement and strengthening of hurricanes. He has worked with both satellite data and computer models as a means to study these hurricane behaviors.

Dr. Atlas received his PhD in Meteorology and Oceanography in 1976 from New York University (NYU). Prior to receiving the doctorate, he was a weather forecaster in the U.S. Air Force where he maintained greater than 95% forecast accuracy. From 1976 to 1978, Dr. Atlas was a National Research Council Research Associate at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), New York, an Assistant Professor of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science for SUNY The State University of New York, and, Chief Consulting Meteorologist for the ABC Television Network.
In 1978, Dr. Atlas joined NASA as a research scientist. He served as head of the NASA Data Assimilation Office from 1998-2003, and as Chief Meteorologist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) from 2003-2005. Dr. Atlas has performed research to assess and improve the impact of satellite data on numerical weather prediction since 1973. He was a key member of the team that first demonstrated the significant impact of quantitative satellite data on numerical weather prediction, and he is the world’s leading expert on Observing System Simulation Experiments, a technology that enables scientists to determine the quantitative value of new observing systems before funds are allocated for their development.
He served as a member of the Satellite Surface Stress Working Group, the NASA Scatterometer (NSCAT) Science Team, the ERS Science Team, the SeaWinds Satellite Team, the Working Group for Space-based Laser Winds, the Scientific Steering Group for GEWEX Global Energy and Water Exchanges, the Council of the American Meteorological Society, and, served as Chairman of the U.S. World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) Advisory Group for model-based air-sea fluxes. He is currently a member of the Science Teams for two NASA space missions.
From 1974-1976, he developed a global upper-ocean model and studied oceanic response to atmospheric wind forcing, as well as large-scale atmospheric response to sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies (unusual events). In more recent years, his research concentrated on the role of how the air and sea interacts in the development of cyclones, the role of soil moisture and unusual SST events in the initiation, maintenance, and decay of prolonged heat waves and drought, and, most recently, on the modeling and prediction of hurricane formation, movement, and intensification.
He is a recipient of the NASA Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement, and the American Meteorological Society’s Banner I. Miller Award. In 2019, just prior to his retirement from NOAA, he was honored by the National Hurricane Center for Enduring Contributions to the nation’s hurricane forecast and warning program, and by the U.S. House of Representatives for his service to the nation.

2-day Scientific Computing with R Workshop 3/4-5
2021-03-04 09:00 - 2021-03-05 16:30 (America/New_York) | Zoom (online)
This 2-day intensive workshop is designed to provide foundational concepts that all programming depends on, using the R statistical computing platform as an example. There are no prerequisites and the workshop is designed for computer users from beginners to advanced.

Thursday & Friday, March 4-5, 2021 | 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM Course Hours, Both Days
REGISTER NOW
Instructors will lead a comprehensive, hands-on overview of what is possible with R, how to use R-studio and the R command line, and the integration of version control into an analytical workflow, all using an example dataset. Go from reading data into R to data types, functions, conditional statements, loops, inline documentation, as well as best practices for writing R code that others can understand and use.
The goal of this workshop is to bring you up to speed with data analysis, and it would be incomplete without command line computing and version control. Understanding the shell for command line computing is important in building reproducible data analysis pipelines where your R scripts may be just one component. Git for version control is an incredibly useful tool for collaboration and management of your coding projects.
This workshop will also 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.
The syllabus is available now, offering preparation instructions.
Instructors: Tim Norris, PhD, Data Scientist | Cameron Riopelle, PhD, Data Services Librarian
Helpers: Thilani Samarakoon, James Sobczak
This event is free and open to UM Faculty, Staff, and Students.

The Fiction Science of AI: Sheldon Brown Data Citizens Lecture 3/11
2021-03-11 15:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Zoom (online)
Data Citizens is a series of in-depth talks by experts in the field of data science on a wide variety of topics including data visualization, big data, artificial intelligence, and predictive analytics. Join us on March 11 as we welcome Sheldon Brown for a talk on AI.
TALK TITLE: The Fiction Science of AI | REGISTER NOW
“AI is a cultural conception formed at the intersection of the arts, engineering, philosophy, and science. The interplay of these different areas of human cultural activity push and pull our expectations and directions for the development of AI and its deployment in society at large. As we venture forward with these deployments, AI also encounters business, ethics, politics, and the law. We are moving into a new phase of feedback loops between the imagination of AI and its reification. Designers and artists working with AI face the challenge to integrate it positively into real life, informing ideas around what AI means for our human selves and for the profound transformation of our broader social systems.
How can we develop an aesthetic of AI that is accessible and open, moving from obscure and technical black boxes? This talk explores the application of AI in art and design while also raising the complex issues of who we are becoming in the process of inventing it. In this lecture, Sheldon Brown will look at how some of the factors have gotten us to this point and posit some productive provocations for the near-term future of the field.”
“I’m an artist—I work across a lots of forms and mediums but underlying that there’s always been computation.”
Sheldon Brown is an academic, entrepreneur, computer scientist, and artist. He is currently Co-Founder and Vice President of Product Design and Innovation at Virbela, a virtual world company spun out of his lab at UC San Diego where he was Professor and MacArthur Foundation Endowed Chair in Digitial Media and Learning. He was the founding Director of the Arthur C. Clarke for Human Imagination, Director of the UCSD branch of the Center for Hybrid Multicore Productivity Research, and co-founder of the California Institute of Telecommunications and Information Technologies (Calit 2). He went on to help launch the Creative Computing Institute at the University of the Arts in London as Professor and Research Leader. He has also been Visiting Professor at NYU Shanghai and Honorary Professor at Shanghai University. His multi-media artworks have been commissioned and exhibited at museums around the world.

Quote above taken from this lecture: “Agencies of Art and Audience” . . .
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The next speaker in the Data Citizens: A Distinguished Lecture Series will be Danica Marinac Dabic on April 8, 2021

"Best Practices in Applied AI" with Philip Evans and Roy Lowrance 3/18
2021-03-18 17:00 - 18:00 UTC | Zoom (online)
Join us for a lively conversation about the intersection of business strategy and artificial intelligence (AI). The SingularityU Miami Chapter wraps its three-part online/Zoom artificial intelligence series with two seasoned experts: Philip Evans, Senior Advisor and Fellow at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), and Roy Lowrance, Founder and CEO of Applied Data Science, LLC. Both prescribe to a presbyopic technological world view, and will candidly share their professional experience and best practices and applications about business and artificial intelligence. Please join us and come with lots of curiosity and questions!
Thursday, March 18, 2021 | 5:00-6:00 PM
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Tickets are $7.00 per person. A Zoom link will be sent to registered guests.

Philip Evans is a former Senior Partner with BCG. He founded both BCG’s Media and Internet practices and was the first-elected BCG Fellow. He focuses on strategy in the context of disruptive information technologies. He was educated at Cambridge, where he graduated #1 in Economics, was a Harkness Fellow at Harvard, and also has a Harvard MBA. He is a former Director of the Oxford Internet Institute (OII).
He is author of many publications, and won a McKinsey Prize, for the best contribution to the Harvard Business Review. His book Blown to Bits was a global best-seller. His TED Talk “How data will transform business” has garnered over 1,700,000 views.
He was designated by Walter Kiechel as one of the 15 “Lords of Strategy” in his book of that title.

Roy Lowrance has over 20 years of data scientist experience working in media, finance, human resources, and education. He established the data science pedagogy at NYU, Colombia, and the University of Miami. Lowrance has a PhD in Computer Science from NYU focused on machine learning for time series with concept drift. Dr. Lowrance is Founder and CEO of Applied Data Science, LLC in New York, Chief Data Scientist at Autonomous Professional Development, and serves as the Chairman of the Industry Advisory Board for the University of Miami Institute for Data Science and Computing (IDSC).

About Boston Consulting Group
BCG is an American management consulting firm founded in 1963, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts with over 90 offices around the world. The firm is the second-largest consulting firm by revenue and one of the most prestigious in the world. BCG has been recognized by Consulting Magazine as the best consulting firm to work for. It is part of the elite Big Three (management consultancies), along with Bain & Company and McKinsey & Company. [source: Wikipedia]

About Singularity University
Singularity University is a global learning and innovation community using exponential technologies to tackle the world’s biggest challenges and build a better future for all. Singularity’s collaborative platform empowers individuals and organizations across the globe to learn, connect, and innovate breakthrough solutions using accelerating technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, and digital biology. They offer educational programs, courses, and summits; enterprise strategy, leadership, and innovation programs; programs to support and scale startups and promote social impact; and online news and content. (It is not an accredited university and does not provide traditional university qualifications.) The SU community includes entrepreneurs, corporations, global nonprofits, governments, investors, and academic institutions in more than 127 countries. With over 5,000 impact initiatives, our community is driving positive change in the areas of health, environment, security, education, energy, food, prosperity, water, space, disaster resilience, shelter, and governance.
SingularityU Miami Chapter is a local Chapter and community organization of Singularity University. They believe in bridging the creative and technology community and empowering an economy of exponential thinkers and doers in Miami. SU Miami is designed for anyone hungry to change the world. No matter your age, gender, sexual orientation, race, or religion. Aspiring and successful entrepreneurs, technology and art aficionados, geeks, and the curious are welcome.

"Research Ethics and the NIH" Christine Grady Lecture 3/19
2021-03-19 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom (online)
From human subjects protection to the responsible conduct of research, bioscientists around the world seek, study, and try to adhere to Ethics standards originating at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). For this special Dialogue—the 200th in a University of Miami series that began in 1992—the Chief of the NIH Department of Bioethics will share thoughts on the history and role of the NIH in fostering improved attention to ethical issues in biomedical research. The Dialogue will feature an interview format that will also address federal expectations of institutions that receive funding support, including the importance of ethics education in addition to (mere) compliance; interprofessional research and the role of nurses; and ethical challenges encountered during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Dr. Christine Grady is a nurse-bioethicist and a senior investigator who serves as the Chief of the Department of Bioethics at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center. Her research is both conceptual and empirical and primarily in the ethics of clinical research, including informed consent, vulnerability, study design, recruitment, and international research ethics, as well as ethical issues faced by nurses and other health care providers. Dr. Grady has authored more than 175 papers in the biomedical and bioethics literature and authored or edited several books, including The Oxford Textbook of Clinical Research Ethics. She served from 2010-2017 as a Commissioner on the President’s Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues.
Research Ethics and the NIH | Christine Grady, RN, PhD
12:00 PM, Friday, March 19, 2021
Via Zoom | Meeting ID: 960 1122 4557 | Passcode: [REDACTED]
Co-Sponsors University of Miami Health System, UM Hospitals and Clinics, UMHC/Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute

Dialogues in Research Ethics is a series of monthly seminars. For more information, phone UM Ethics Programs at 305-243-5723 or E-mail ethics@miami.edu.
