Data-Driven Discovery

Data fuels important decisions at every level of society. The exponential growth and availability of big data presents numerous challenges and opportunities. It is voluminous, fast, increasingly complex, and comes in a range of formats. But if managed effectively, big data can deliver powerful benefits. It can result in more accurate analyses in fields ranging from health care to genomics to business informatics to physics. More accurate analyses lead to more confident decision-making. And better decisions can mean greater operational efficiencies, cost reductions, and decreased risk.

Quick Hits

Nevin Weinberg, associate professor of physics, is studying the phenomena of X-ray bursts to better understand neutron stars. His work is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation’s Division of Astronomical Sciences.

NASA named physics Assistant Professor Frederick Wilder one of five supervising scientists for the Scientist in the Loop program under its Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission.

Computer science Assistant Professor VP Nguyen is developing technology that would allow virtual reality users to see the facial expressions of the person they are interacting with online. It could also have applications for speech enhancement in stroke patients.

Data-Driven Discovery Stories

Road Reference

A database of Texas bridges

Keeping track of the 50,000-plus bridges in Texas can be a challenge, especially since there currently is not a complete,...

Bad Bot

Understanding machine-learning systems

When it comes to artificial intelligence, the wrong answers can be as important as the right ones. That’s why computer...

Air Control

Making the skies safer

As the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) increases, so does the need for traffic control of the skies. Engineering...