MS Data Science Library Resources

Astonishing ways to share scientific data are emerging in the digital age. This program explores the phenomenal growth of supercomputing and its impact on medicine, oceanography, air traffic control, law enforcement, and other fields. Showcasing practical examples of dynamic visualization technology, the video looks at three-dimensional renderings of cities accurate to the square foot, medical imaging capabilities on the cellular level, and instantaneous collaboration between laboratories a hemisphere apart. Commentary by virtual reality pioneer Jaron Lanier and other innovators underscores the need to recognize the human factor in the age of supercomputers. (27 minutes)

In this Science Squad episode, Aoibhinn Ni Shuilleabhain attends a workshop where industry leaders such as Diageo and Dell bring their technical problems to be solved by mathematicians from all over Europe. Aoibhinn investigates real-life hospital problems and finds out how the workshop has improved the management and distribution of blood supplies in the Limerick area.

Inspired by the work of Google's chief economist and University of California, Berkeley, emeritus professor Hal Varian, central banks worldwide now study whether online search volumes track trends in the economies they oversee. While developing a new website reporting how often users searched for certain keywords, Varian demonstrated how data reported on the Google Insights for Search service improved forecasts of U.S. auto and home sales and retail spending. In the past, central banks typically set interest rates based on economic information delayed by several weeks. Thanks to the Web, data is now available one to three days after users perform searches—a time lapse that could make the difference between a slowdown and a recession. (12 minutes)