from the deputy director

Proposals Sought for IDSC Data Science Grants

If you are exploring social, behavioral, and ethical issues, now is the time to apply for IDSC’s grant program, “Expanding the Use of Collaborative Data Science at UM.”  We are now seeking proposals on using data science to foster breakthroughs in a variety of disciplines.

For the 2021-22 academic year, IDSC is particularly interested in two areas of focus:

• Using data science to understand social and behavioral processes, such as machine learning of social networks, as well as the impact of data science on social processes, such as how facial identification interfaces with criminal justice.

• Understanding the intersection of ethics and data science. For instance, can data science reduce, eliminate or manage bias and discrimination? Do software engineering standards and processes support explainability and privacy protection? Can innovative governance reduce social injustice in specific areas?

While these two focus areas are emphasized in this fall’s call for proposals, submissions in other areas of data science will also be considered. Our goal is to advance scientific knowledge through collaborative projects that can benefit from our Institute’s powerful computation and analytic resources.

Grant applicants may request up to $20,000 and 1M Service Units (SUs) to be used for high-performance computing at IDSC. We anticipate that five awards will be made.

Hiring New Faculty

On a different topic, we are looking forward to expanding the interdisciplinary collaboration between IDSC and the Rosenstiel School for Marine and Atmospheric Science.  This will involve the hiring of new faculty members who will be at the forefront of using data science and high-end computing to help design adaptation and mitigation strategies for addressing sea-level rise and preserving South Florida’s unparalleled quality of life.

Ben Kirtman, PhD
idsc deputy director  |  director, idsc earth systems

For more information on the IDSC Grants Program, please visit idsc.miami.edu/grants-program.