Renowned UC San Diego Scientists Offer March 12 'Big Data at Work' Symposium

San Diego, March 9, 2014  -- The significance and real-world impact of Big Data -- the popular term used to describe the exponential growth and availability of data, both structured and unstructured -- will be explored at a special UC San Diego Extension symposium titled "Big Data at Work: A Conversation with the Experts."

Big Data at Work Symposium
The event and its TED-style presentations will be held Wednesday, March 12, from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm at Atkinson Hall, the Qualcomm Institute headquarters on the UC San Diego campus.

To register, visit the "Big Data at Work" registration page or call (858) 534-9356.

Presented by UC San Diego Extension in partnership with the UC San Diego Computer Science & Engineering Department, San Diego Supercomputer Center, and the Qualcomm Institute at Calit2, the seminar will feature leading faculty and technology executives delivering TED-style talks.

Topics will focus on emerging trends related to Big Data, including research, services and education. Speakers will also reviews various interpretations of Big Data, share example of how Big Data is being used in various fields, and provide insights on how to achieve professional success in the field.

UCSD-TV will record the event for future airing on the TV channel and UC-TV.

"We are proud of UC San Diego's continuing leadership role in this fast-paced field," said Hugo Villar, Director of Science and Technology for UC San Diego Extension. "Through our distinguished speakers, we will highlight how Big Data is creating new opportunities for advancements in disparate fields ranging from science and healthcare to security, crime prevention and marketing, just to name a few."

Larry Smarr, Ph.D, the founding director of the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2), including the Qualcomm Institute at UC San Diego and its sister division at UC Irvine, will provide the welcome address, putting Big Data into context and underscoring the critical role it will play in the future of health and medicine. Other speakers will include:

  • Mike Norman, Ph.D., Director, San Diego Supercomputer Center;
  • Stefan Savage, Ph.D., Professor, UC San Diego; and
  • Michael Zeller, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, Zementis.

Natasha Balac, Ph.D., Director, Predictive Analytics Center of Excellence at SDSC, will moderate a panel discussion with Smarr, Norman, Savage and Zeller following their talks.

The event is open to the general public. A $10 fee (or $20 after March 10 and on the day of the event) will contribute to a scholarship fund to support UC San Diego Extension's continuing education programs and courses in Data Mining and Predictive Analytics.

UC San Diego Extension offers a variety of programs and courses in Big Data, providing students with the knowledge and skills needed to achieve professional success. The programs are created, supported and taught by faculty members and industry experts, including those from the San Diego Supercomputer Center and Zementis, a San Diego-based software company specializing in predictive analytics solutions. 

Media Contacts

Doug Ramsey, 858-822-5825, dramsey@ucsd.edu 

Related Links

Big Data at Work registration page