Data Science Collaboration!

 

Dr. Daniel Mietchen with our Human Practices and Modeling Committees

This week, we were fortunate to meet with the Director of the UVA Data Science Institute, Dr. Phil Bourne, and Data Scientist, Dr. Daniel Mietchen. We went into the meeting enthusiastic about a possible collaboration with the institute and left even more excited for the ideas developed during our discussion.

The area of data science that we are targeting closely aligns with the open source nature of SynBio. Whether operating at the level of an expert in the field or a DIY scientist, proprietary information is nearly nonexistent in SynBio. Similarly, one major aspect of data science is widespread sharing and access of information. Noting the similarities in these two fields, we plan to increase the accessibility of iGEM content by creating a single database.

Another avenue for collaboration that we discussed is looking at large data sets to better inform our project. Through data acquisition, organization, and analysis, we will be able to learn more about Styrofoam waste processing and PHA manufacturing. This, in turn, will allow us to understand the large-scale impact of our device.

Working with the Data Science Institute will provide invaluable perspectives and resources to our team. Looking forward to start this collaboration!