Has “big data” always existed, or has something changed in recent years to bring this catchphrase to the surface? What research is being conducted using big data, what repositories are available or being built, and what stories should science writers potentially cover on this topic?
During our program on April 9 at University House, the following speakers explored these topics for NSWA members and guests:
- Sally James, who recently looked into this big data topic for Seattle Business Magazine and shared a “shallow dive into big data” on her blog. James began her career as a newspaper reporter in Portland, Oregon. Over a long career in Northwest journalism, she has talked her way into autopsies, murder scenes, surgeries and medical research labs. Most recently, she’s written about big data, protein folding, new designer drugs and a tavern full of Higgs Boson fans.
- Justin Thompson, UW student in Mathematics. Thompson is working on sparse sensing algorithms, with a focus on developing code for distinguishing difference among data sets (images, sounds) with minimum information.
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