News and Events 2015
A summary of Edinburgh Data Science related news, conferences, seminars and events from 2014 and 2015.
December 2015
UoE Business School: Big data partnership signed
The University's Business School has announced a new partnership with Europe's leading specialist electrical and telecommunications retailer and services company, Dixons Carphone. The collaboration will help fund a major drive to develop teaching and research in data science within the Business School with close to £500,000 invested in various initiatives. In addition, a number of generous Dixons Carphone scholarships will be offered to promising applicants to the School’s MSc and MBA programmes.
Full story available on the University of Edinburgh's News Website:
University News - Big data partnership signed
Virtual Open Day: Online Introduction to the Data Science, Technology and Innovation PG Programme
On Friday 11th December 2015, the Data Science, Technology and Innovation online distance learning postgraduate programme held a Virtual Open Day hosted by the Programme Director Professor Dave Robertson. This live and interactive online session enabled those interested in the programme to hear from and speak to programme staff, learn more about the programme, and ask questions. Applications are now being accepted for the Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Professional Development courses which are due to begin in January 2016.
Full details about this Postgraduate Programme are available here:
Data Science, Technology and Innovation PG Programme
November 2015
Citizen Science and Crowdsourced Data and Evidence Network
Citizen Science and Crowdsourcing for data and analysis are being adopted across research fields, from basic analysis of large scale data sets in astronomy and genetics and engaging the public in biodiversity and cultural history surveys, to running online psychology experiments. While the concept is old, online and mobile tools, and the rise of ‘big data’ are creating the need and the potential to organise non-traditional research communities to support research. It also opens new avenues for community engagement and for supporting learning, both on campus and online.
The Citizen Science and Crowdsourced Data and Evidence network, supported by IAD, is running a series of events to raise awareness of the potential and issues of these techniques, and help build partnerships at the University.
On Tuesday 24th November the Network held a special event with the National Museum giving staff and students a chance to learn about some of the projects and approaches used in the University and in Scotland, and to attend a lecture on the ‘Citizen Science for Community Engagement’. This included a public lecture by Erinma Ochu on ‘Citizen Science for Community Engagement’, chaired by Prof Mary Bownes (UoE Vice-Principal Community Development)
More information: http://citsci.ed.ac.uk
Innogen: "Governance and data access - an interactive approach" at ESRC Festival of Science
With the Longitudinal Studies Centre Scotland & Science Technology and Innovation Studies, University of Edinburgh
The reuse of data from existing health records is increasingly important in social health research. As potential subjects of health data audience members have a stake in understanding the mechanisms and motivations for accessing and using administrative records on the population for research. This event explores ethics and governance of social health research interactively. Audience members will participate in decisions on accessing data from various sources to answer a specific population health question. We will use the real example of the relationship between low birth weight and pollution and access to data from the Scottish Morbidity Databases and hospital records and linkage with the Scottish Longitudinal Survey (SLS). At each stage the audience will be asked which type of data would be required and which governance structure would fit best. We will use the comparison between audience expectations and current ethics and governance frameworks as a spring board for discussion.
Further details related to this event held 13th November 2015 are available here.
List of speakers available here.
ADRC-Scotland Workshop "Introduction to Bayesian approaches to data analysis"
A 1-day workshop led by Dr Robin Samuel, University of Bern, Switzerland. The workshop, held Friday 6th November 2015 (in Administrative Data Research Centre Scotland, 9 Edinburgh Bioquarter, Little France) aimed to provide an introduction to, and review of, the fundamental theoretical concepts related to Bayesian approaches to data analysis, providing some illustration of both Bayesian and frequentist analyses. Visit the ADRC-Scotland website for additional upcoming courses and training programmes.
ADRC-Scotland - Upcoming Courses
October 2015
Our Changing World Lectures 2015: Prof Dave Robertson
As part of the Our Changing World Public Lectures series, Professor Dave Robertson spoke about "The data revolution in global healthcare on 6th October 2015. Watch the presentation video on YouTube here:
Professor Dave Robertson: The data revolution in global healthcare - 6 October 2015
Our Changing World Lectures - Full Schedule 2015
Data Science for Media Event
The University of Edinburgh is hosed a one-day summit exploring data science opportunities within the Media sector. The event connected researchers in data science with users and industry professionals and featured keynote talks, breakout sessions and demos.
Data Science for Media - 13 October 2015
Data Science Research Day
A collaborative and networking event between the CDT in Data Science's students, supervisors, partners and other students studying data science within the Schools of Informatics and Mathematics.
Data Science Research Day - 14 October 2015
Data Science Distinguished Lecture
A lecture by Professor Serge Abiteboul, Senior Researcher at INRIA Saclay.
Title: "Toward personal knowledge bases"
Data Science Distinguished Lecture - 16 October 2015
Usher Institute formally launched
One of the world’s most cited scientists delivers the inaugural lecture of an institute at the heart of the University of Edinburgh’s strategy to build the UK’s premium academic health data science environment.
The Usher Institute, with its mission to advance patient care and improve healthcare systems, formally launched on October 1st 2015 with a showcase of its researchers’ high impact work and the inaugural lecture by Stanford University’s outstanding clinician scientist Professor John Ioannidis.
The Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics
Usher Launch News Story (1.07 MB PDF)
September 2015
Seminar: Dr Gil Alterovitz, Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School
Title: "Creating international standards for communication of clinical and genomic data into and out of electronic medical records"
Monday 28 September 2015 at 12:45 - Farr Institute, Craigmillar Meeting Room, Level 2, Nine Edinburgh BioQuarter, 9 Little France Rd.
Dr David Jiang, business leader, technologist and expert on the China healthcare sector, at Edinburgh BioQuarter
The transformation of China's Healthcare sector is underway - innovate, educate and collaborate to seize the digital health opportunity.
Hosted by discover Edinburgh Health Informatics
Dr David Jiang - Friday 4th September 12:30 - 13:30
August 2015
Dealing with Data Conference
Following on from the successful ‘Dealing with Data 2014’ half-day conference, UoE Information Services hosted a one-day conference covering a broad range of research matters from all disciplines on the subject of ‘Dealing with Data’ on Monday 31 August 2015.
Dealing with Data Conference - August 2015
Alan Turing Institute operations begin
Work is getting under way at the Alan Turing Institute, a UK research venture involving Edinburgh scientists.
Alan Turing Institute Operations Begin
2014
Big Data focus for University
Edinburgh's expertise in handling Big Data is to be strengthened with the appointment of medical informatics expert Professor Andrew Morris.