Breaking down Big Data

Breaking down Big Data

Faculties come together to offer seven unique presentations on Big Data.

By Anne Craig

September 29, 2016

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As a part of the Queen鈥檚 University 175th anniversary celebrations, a cross-faculty group at 澳门六合彩开奖现场 are presenting Big Data 175 鈥 a year-long exploration into the pros and cons of Big Data in fields such as health care, marketing and national security.

Big Data Event Series
Tuesday, Oct. 4 - What is Big Data and Why Does It Matter?
Paul Zikopoulos, vice-president Big Data Analytics and Competitive, IBM
Goodes Hall Commons, 6:30 pm
Wednesday, Oct. 5 - Is Your Neighbour a Liberal or a Conservative? Voter Surveillance and the Data-Driven Election Campaign
Colin Bennett, University of Victoria
Ellis Hall, Room 226, 12:30 pm 
Monday, Jan. 16 - Film screening and discussion event
The Screening Room, 6:45 pm
Tuesday, Feb. 7 - Big Data, Cyber Security and Healthcare
Denise Anthony, Dartmouth College
The School of Medicine Building, Room 132A, 6:30 pm
More details will be available closer to the event

[Queen's 175th logo]

Big Data is large amounts of data that can be used to spot business trends, prevent diseases and combat crime, among other uses. These data sets are so large that traditional data processing applications are inadequate to deal with them. Security around Big Data is also a concern - an issue being addressed during the BD175 series.

鈥淭here are lots of great events happening around campus for the 175th, but I also saw an opportunity to create an event that was academic and involved all of the faculties,鈥 says lead organizer David Lyon, director of the Surveillance Studies Centre. 鈥淲e are exploring Big Data on a local scale, and around the world.鈥

BD175 is a series of seven events at Queen鈥檚, each hosted by a different faculty or department. The series opens with What is Big Data and Why Does It Matter? presented by Paul Zikopoulos, vice-president of IBM's Competitive and Big Data Analytics team. Mr. Zikopoulos is an award winning writer and speaker who has been consulted on Big Data by the television show 60 Minutes among many others.

The series celebrates Queen鈥檚 contributions to Big Data innovations and the event is accessible to students, faculty, staff and the wider Kingston community. External speakers, along with Queen鈥檚 professors and students, will define, describe and debate Big Data through lectures, seminars, panel discussions, video showings, film discussions, an art exhibit and other media.

鈥淚t鈥檚 energizing to meet with people from all over Queen鈥檚 and realize we have a common goal of presenting Big Data to the public,鈥 says Dr. Lyon. 鈥淲e are opening the black box of Big Data, exploring what鈥檚 being done with Big Data on campus, and arguing about the pros and cons of Big Data in fields from healthcare to marketing to national security and beyond.鈥

For more information, including up-to-date information on presentations and topics, visit the .