Big Data Summer School (2015-2018)

2018 Dates: June 4-8, 2018

Picture Gallery 2018 Flyer

2018 Big Data Summer
                        School participants, organizers, and student
                        helpers.Location: University of Iowa campus

Eligible participants: Current and incoming first-year UI students. Other college students or high school students over 18 years of age may also be accepted.

Program details: The Big Data Summer School is cost-free to participants. Stipends of around $300 will be provided for participants who complete the week, plus lunch each day. Registration is closed. Acceptance letters were sent starting in mid-March on an ongoing basis.

Out-of-town participants will have to make their own arrangements for housing and transportation.

2018 Program Description

Presentations: 45-minute general talk: 9:00 am - 9:45 am Location: 3321 Seamans Center (SC)

  • Tue 6/5 — Deborah Dawson (Dentistry)
  • Wed 6/6 — Grant Brown (Biostatistics)
  • Thu 6/7 — Caglar Koylu (Geographical and Sustainability Sciences)
  • Fri 6/8 — Tong Wang (Management Sciences); followed by Closing Ceremony in 3 MLH

Practice: Guided Labs in interactive technology-enhanced room (Topics and instructors TBD):

  • Mon 6/4 
    • Introduction to R - Darcy (Mathematics) - 1022 LIB (9-10am)
    • Probability & Statistics - Stewart (Mathematics) - 1022 LIB (10 am-3 pm)
  • Tue 6/5 — Learning from Data - Cowles (Statistics and Actuarial Science) - 1022 LIB (10 am-3 pm)
  • Wed 6/6 — Parallelism for Large Data - Oliveira (Computer Science) - 1022 LIB (10 am-3 pm)
  • Thu 6/7 — Clustering for Data Analysis - Darcy (Mathematics) - 1022 LIB (10 am-3 pm)
  • Fri 6/8 — Closing ceremony - MLH (10-11:30am)

These labs are prepared by Computer Science, Mathematics, and Statistics and Actuarial Science faculty members at the University of Iowa. We will provide hands-on experience using computers to classify data or gather information from diverse applications. We will introduce an easy programming language to handle the datasets and to process the data. Topics include probability, linear regression, and statistical inference and datasets may be from diverse problems in biology, chemistry, social studies, political science, even music. Similar techniques are used by Google, Amazon, Netflix, and other well-known companies.

Lunch: provided by organizers

Main organizer:​ David Stewart, Mathematics

Co-organizers: Kate Cowles, Statistics and Actuarial Science; Isabel Darcy, Mathematics; Suely Oliveira, Computer Science

Large Data Analysis is a new area that relates to statistics, computer science, and mathematics about handling, processing, and extracting information from large datasets. The organizers of the Big Data Summer School are faculty members at the University of Iowa from the Departments of Computer Science, Mathematics, and Statistics and Actuarial Science. They were instrumental in establishing an undergraduate certificate in Large Data Analysis, starting Fall 2015. Students majoring in those three areas are eligible for the certificate program.


2017 picture gallery | 2017 Flyer | 2017 Program


2016 picture gallery | 2016 Flyer | 2016 Program

Testimonials from 2016 Big Data Summer School

Anthony Pizzimenti
                        accepting certificate from co-organizer Isabel
                        Darcy"I had an excellent time here! The morning talks are refreshing, interesting, and provide insight into real-world Big Data applications. The guided instruction in the late morning and early afternoons are great as they introduce new concepts and robust problems to solve. Every presenter and instructor was helpful, kind, and never hesitated to answer any question that came up. I would recommend this program to anyone who wants a jumpstart into the world of data." ~ Anthony Pizzimenti


Daniel Kelly accepting
                        certificate from co-organizer Kate Cowles

"Thank you so much for this wonderful camp. It was an opportunity to learn, meet new people, and have fun. All of the teachers were very nice too, especially Prof. Oliveira. Thanks again, and enjoy the rest of your summer." ~ Daniel Kelly


2015 picture gallery

Testimonials from 2015 Big Data Summer School

Camille Bonar accepting
                        certificate from co-organizer Suely Oliveira"My experience at the University of Iowa's Big Data Summer School was incredible. It absolutely exceeded my expectations. As an incoming freshman, attending Big Data was my first experience on campus and I feel it was an excellent introduction to the University of Iowa campus. Through Big Data, I got to work closely with several mathematics professors as well as speak with numerous other professors at the University, all of whom were at the top of their fields. They never failed to take time to answer questions or chat with me at lunch. It made me feel extremely welcome to the University... I would highly recommend the University's Big Data Summer School to anyone who has an interest in making relationships with professors and an interest in problem solving." ~ Camille Bonar


Ndovia Grace accepting
                        certificate from co-organizer Suely Oliveira

"The Big Data Summer School was beneficial to all of us I believe....having students from different schools interacting....I'm proud of myself for having learned some knowledge about DATA. So thank you very much to all the Professors who volunteered to give Lectures and more importantly thanks to Professors Oliveira and Stewart for organizing this wonderful program." ~ Ndovia Grace


Sponsored by a grant from the National Science Foundation.Official NSF logo
We strongly support the participation of 
Women in Computing.