What is Large Data Analysis?

Large Data Analysis is a new area that relates to Statistics, Computer Science, and Mathematics about handling, processing, and extracting information from large data sets. As computers have become faster and smaller, so too have sensors, and the amount of information that we can gather about the world around us, which we would like to use for a wide range of applications, like

weather forecasting,
finding out what's under the ground (seismic data),
identifying groups of people via Facebook,
understanding the genome,
searching for the causes of diseases and ways of preventing, controlling or curing them.

We need Computer Science to know how to handle the large amounts of data and how to implement the algorithms to process them, Statistics to see what can and what cannot be legitimately inferred from the data, and Mathematics for the algorithms and methods for connecting these things.

What is a Certificate?

A Certificate is an official University credential saying that you have learned a specific area (usually related to major in some way). The advantage of a Certificate, is that it shows that you have additional expertise in this particular area. This provides clear evidence to any potential employer or graduate school that you have interest and abilities in this speciality.

The Large Data Analysis is an undergraduate Certificate offered through the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS). If you are a graduate student, and are interested in this topic, then please come and talk to affiliated faculty about your interests.

The University of Iowa offers a number of Certificates in a wide range of areas.

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