The Next Chapter: The New Home of Data Science and AI at UChicago
Join us on Thursday, October 30 as we open the doors to the Data Science Institute’s new home and showcase our growing vision for the future of AI and data science at the University of Chicago. Hear from leading faculty with lightning talks, explore spaces that highlight our work and impact, and connect with fellow industry and community partners.
Partners will see how their collaboration directly shapes the future—both through our groundbreaking research and the dynamic new spaces designed to foster innovation and impact. Together, we’ll look ahead to the next chapter of AI and data science in Chicago and the role our partners play in bringing that vision to life.
The event will feature Lightning Talks with:
DSI Faculty Co-Directors:
Michael J. Franklin, Morton D. Hull Distinguished Service Professor; Senior Advisor to the Provost for Computing and Data Science; Faculty Co-Director, Data Science Institute
Professor Franklin co-founded Berkeley’s AMPLab, created industry-changing open source Big Data software including Apache Spark, and served as a Founding Advisor at DataBricks. An authority on databases, data analytics, data management, and distributed systems, he is also an energetic entrepreneur, founding and becoming chief technology officer of Truviso, a data analytics company acquired by Cisco Systems. He serves on the technical advisory boards of various data-driven technology companies and organizations.
Dan Nicolae, Elaine M. and Samuel D. Kersten, Jr. Distinguished Service Professor, Departments of Statistics, Human Genetics, Medicine, and the College Section of Genetic Medicine; Faculty Co-Director, Data Science Institute; Interim Chair, Department of Statistics
Professor Nicolae’s research focuses on developing statistical and computational methods for understanding human genetic variation and its influence on the risk for complex traits. His research centers on data integration and system-level approaches using large datasets with far-reaching implications for driving innovation to improve research practices, patient outcomes and more.
DSI Faculty Members:
Mina Lee, Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Data Science
Professor Lee’s research goal is to design and evaluate language models to enhance our productivity and creativity and understand how these models change the way we write. She has developed a new framework to evaluate language models based on their ability to interact with humans and augment human capabilities.
Haifeng Xu, Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Data Science
Professor Xu studies the economics of data and machine learning and AI agents and data-driven decision making, particularly in multi-agent environments. Professor Xu recently developed Prophet Arena, a benchmark that evaluates the predictive intelligence of AI systems through live real-world forecasting tasks.
UChicago Leaders:
David Uminsky, Executive Director and Research Professor, Data Science Institute
David joined the University of Chicago in September 2020. He was previously an associate professor of Mathematics and Executive Director of the Data Institute at University of San Francisco (USF). His research interests are in machine learning, signal processing, pattern formation, and dynamical systems.
Anne brings a history of successful corporate engagement, strategic partnerships, and nonprofit leadership to her role as Director of Corporate Partnerships at the Data Science Institute. Anne previously served as a national program manager at the American Red Cross. There, she led several high-impact initiatives, including the Annual Disaster Giving Program, where she successfully partnered with over 150 top corporations to advance the organization’s disaster relief efforts.
Anne’s experience extends beyond national borders, having served as an international strategic advisor, where she worked closely with sister Red Cross Societies to craft and implement comprehensive resource mobilization strategies. Before her work at the Red Cross, she served on the Development team at Equal Justice Works, a nonprofit dedicated to creating a sustainable pathway for recent law graduates to enter public interest law.
Anne also holds a master’s degree in public policy from the Harris School at the University of Chicago.
