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Connecting research through data

Hosted at Morgridge Hall, the inaugural Data Impact Forum introduced researchers from across campus to the experts who put data to work.  

Words by Thomas Jilk

Photos by Jacob Duran

At the inaugural Data Impact Forum led by the College of Computing & Artificial Intelligence (CAI) on Sept. 21, researchers from across the university came together to learn about the groups offering data support to campus. Spanning data scientists and biostatisticians, as well as physical, environmental, and social scientists, the scholars and staff in attendance enjoyed presentations and poster-side conversations led by representatives of 11 different data consultancies and service groups operating on campus. Some of these, such as the Statistical Consulting Group and the Data Science Institute, are based in Morgridge Hall alongside CAI; others, like the Cancer Informatics Shared Resource, the Institute for Research on Poverty, and the Social Science Computing Core, joined from elsewhere on campus.

“With the increased importance of data in research, teaching, and administration, we wanted to find a way to bring all these groups together in a new way and showcase the tremendous value they bring to projects,” said Vivak Patel, associate professor of statistics and the forum’s lead organizer. “I’m hopeful that new connections we create through this gathering will ultimately help drive research impact and advance the university’s educational mission.”

Participating groups

  • Bioinformatics Resource Core
  • Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Research Design
  • Cancer Informatics Shared Resource
  • Center for Research on Complex Thinking
  • Data Science Institute
  • Institute for Research on Poverty
  • Research Cyberinfrastructure
  • Social Science Computing Core
  • Statistical Consulting Group
  • Waisman Center Data Science Core
Learn more
Nicholas Keuler, teaching faculty in the Department of Statistics and a member of the Statistical Consulting Group, speaks at the Data Impact Forum about the services offered by his group. 
Eric Wait, associate director for data science services for the Data Science Institute, speaks during an expert panel.
“We have world-class data and statistical services on this campus, but too often researchers simply don’t know where to look,” said Professor Vivak Patel, the forum’s lead organizer. 
Cécile Ané (second from left), a professor in the Department of Statistics, applauds after the expert panel.
Attendees had the opportunity to ask questions of speakers and presenters during and after the event.
For statistical and data science service providers, the hard work isn’t in helping researchers make meaning from the data they’ve gathered — it’s ensuring that campus communities are aware of the data science resources at their disposal.
Teaching Faculty Nicholas Keuler talks to an attendee about the Statistical Consulting Group.
Brady Krien, a digital humanities coordinator for UW–Madison Libraries, mingles with fellow attendees following the event. 

The Data Impact Forum, which will be held annually moving forward, draws on the interdisciplinary spirit championed by the Department of Statistics founder and longtime professor, George Box. “As as statisticians, we should be supportive of other departments, schools, and colleges in their work,” said Patel. Or as Box himself once put it, statistics should be a “catalyst” for scientific discovery, with statisticians and data scientists reaching across disciplinary divides to solve real problems. Learn more at dcs.cai.wisc.edu.   

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