We are excited to share with you the latest projects, events, activities and initiatives from data science institutions and organizations all over the Western region. We strive to build partnerships across academia, industry, nonprofits and government, and welcome new opportunities to stay connected.
West Hub Carpentries Instructor Training
The West Big Data Innovation Hub offered a remote Carpentries Instructor Training from February 8th through 12th. Participant teams hailed from 7 states across the western region of the United States and representing universities, government, and startup organizations. The workshop focused on how to teach foundational coding and data science skills to researchers. All participants are now certified to host Carpentries workshops in their local communities, increasing the availability of data science training across the west. Look for more Carpentries training opportunities offered by the West Hub in the future! Big Data as a Force for Equity
Dr. Khadija Monk and Dr. Theodoric Manley recently sat down with the West Big Data Innovation Hub to reflect on Black History Month and the role of big data in their research. Dr. Monk is an assistant professor in the School of Criminal Justice and Criminalistics at California State University - Los Angeles. Her work focuses on bridging academic-practitioner partnerships to impact criminal justice policies, and has researched topics like crime patterns, community violence prevention, and disparities in the criminal justice system. Dr. Manley is an American sociologist and lecturer at California State University - Los Angeles and an independent consultant for the Urban and Intergroup Relations at the Hoop Institute, and has coached students on utilizing big data to explore the changes taking place in historic Chicago neighborhoods. Read the full interview here. Covid-19 Data Challenge Project Continues to Benefit Texas Schools
A few months ago, the West Hub teamed with the Border Solutions Alliance for the Covid-19 Data Challenge to broaden awareness of pandemic risk levels among border communities. One of the teams consisted of graduate students from the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and their project has been used by an array of citizens throughout the state to assess the probability of exposure to Covid-19 in school classrooms. YoungHyun Koo, an Environmental Science and Engineering PhD student at UTSA, said "Our goal was to let parents or teachers know the risks associated with sending children to school amidst a pandemic and we discovered that many people are using this tool to make decisions." Big West Affiliates Collaborate for New NSF Life Science Data Science Award
Multiple universities throughout the western US have recently teamed for a four-year NSF-funded project focused on detailed simulations for an array of life science research efforts. Led by the University of Wyoming, the project has been designed to build and test computational models representing an array of biological processes. PI Alex Buerkle explained that the new grant has provided him and his team with an opportunity to further examine large data sets related to the innumerable bacteria, fungi, and other microbes in the soil, water, and air that shape life in Wyoming. UW President Ed Seidel said, "This project... represent[s] the type of collaborations we intend to foster with the West Big Data Innovation Hub and other institutions across the region and beyond." Joining the Data Revolution: Big Data in Education and Social Science Research The Institute for Research on Innovation and Science is taking applications for a week-long online workshop from June 1st through 11th that will focus on using big data resources and tools to advance participants' education and social sciences (ESS) research. Attendees will acquire skills to enable them to pursue external funding for ESS research using big data. In addition to technical skills, participants will work with established investigators to develop and present ideas for projects that might be submitted to NSF grant competitions. Applications are open, and the deadline to apply in March 22nd. All Hub Cyberinfrastructure Working Group Meeting
The All Hub Cyberinfrastructure Working Group meets on Friday, March 5th from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. PT with presenter Chris Lenhardt, RENCI, talking about "Putting the 'Infrastructure' in Cyberinfrastructure: the HydroShare Example." Join the meeting by zoom (ID: 464 161 845) or by phone using 1-877-853-5257.
Northeast Hub & IEEE Connected Healthcare Cybersecurity Virtual Workshop Series
We invite you and your colleagues to participate in a new virtual workshop series on Connected Healthcare Cybersecurity, which is co-sponsored by the Northeast Big Data Innovation Hub, the IEEE Standards Association, and IEEE/UL P2933 which is a standards working group on clinical IoT data and device interoperability. The next workshop in the series on "Privacy, Ethics, & Trust in Connected Healthcare" will take place on April 28th.
Thanks in advance for sharing this newsletter with anyone who might be interested! If you are interested in having your data science project or event featured in a future West Hub newsletter, please email Sarah A. Stone, Co-Executive Director and Co-PI of the West Big Data Innovation Hub.
