Thursday, November 14,
2013, 3pm
Location: Room 1110 of the Nguyen Engineering Building
Kirk Borne
School of Physics, Astronomy, and Computational Sciences
George Mason University
What is Data
Science and Why is it Needed?
Abstract
I
will discuss
Data Science within the context of current trends in Big Data, which
are often
described by three major characteristics: the large volume, variety,
and
velocity of data. I will focus on a more accurate description of Big
Data that
I have recently developed, which makes more sense scientifically:
"Everything, Quantified and Tracked." I will give examples from
astronomy, earth science, education, social networks, law enforcement,
and
healthcare. I will also describe a few recent events that have placed
Mason
(particularly SPACS) at the center of national and international
attention in
some Big Data discussions, both in research and in education.
Nevertheless, I
will argue that more needs to be done at Mason to reap the benefits of
this
recognition. The primary goal of this presentation is to demonstrate
why Data
Science represents a new form of scientific inference and
experimentation, and
how Mason is contributing. Some scientists have labeled this the 4th
Paradigm
of Science, though some may object to this characterization. In either
case,
the fact is we are now engaged in an entirely new data-intensive
approach to
studying the cosmos, the Earth, and life on our planet.