Skip to main content

Data Science Software Development Core

The Data Science Software Development Core facility provides software development and data science services across the University.

The Data Science Software Development Core facilitates the development of tools and technologies which further the mission of the Data Science Institute and the University of Chicago as a whole.

 

Our core mission is to:

  • Increase the impact of Data Science Institute (DSI) Research by making available high-quality code that lowers the barrier to adoption of new tools by academic, government and industrial researchers.
  • Support translation of DSI projects to practical applications.
  • Strengthen grant proposals by increasing the availability of resources to faculty.
  • Decrease the costs associated with implementing the computational aspects of data science research projects by providing fractional human capacity to projects.
  • Educate a diverse and inclusive next generation of ethically minded and socially conscious data science leaders who are driven to use their skills to create positive change in the world.

Our primary work is with the Data Science Institute (DSI) and DSI affiliates, but we are not exclusive and are able to work on projects from across the University.

Rates and Billing

The Data Science Software Development Core Facility is a University of Chicago recharge operation. Bills are issued monthly based on the number of hours worked on each project and cloud computing costs. Monthly bills are sent to each user. Price rates are determined annually based on the standard recharge operation accounting rules.

Payments can only be made using a University account number – cash, credit, or any other payment methods are not accepted.

The following rates are currently in effect for our services:

  • Cloud computing costs: These are pass through rates and are charged based on the costs we incur.
  • Software Development and Data Science Activities: We charge a flat rate of $125 per hour for
    this service.

 

Core Facility Request

Contact form for those requesting use of the Core Facility

Name(Required)
Email(Required)

Team

Launa is a software engineer II responsible for executing Data Clinic projects with student teams in conjunction with the 11th Hour Project, as well as internal projects for the DSI. She received her bachelor’s degree in the humanities at Princeton University and her master’s degree in Computational Analysis and Public Policy at the University of Chicago. Prior to joining the University, she worked as an adult education instructor and then as a software consultant at a Microsoft partner company.

Todd is a data scientist for the Data Science Institute. He works on projects associated with the 11th Hour Project and mentors student teams as part of the Data Science Clinic. Todd joined the DSI after completing an MS in Computer Science at the University of Chicago with a focus on data analytics. Todd is interested in both applying data science to scientific and social problems as well as theoretical machine learning. He also owns South Loop Strength & Conditioning, a gym in downtown Chicago, and holds a BA from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.

Chris Redmond is an Open Source Software Engineer at the Data Science Institute and the AI & Science Initiative. He provides engineering support for research efforts in the natural sciences and helps social impact organizations expand their data science capabilities. Chris graduated from Haverford College with a BS in Mathematics and worked as an engineer at JPMorgan Chase before joining the institute.

Dr. Ross is an experienced data science executive and academic leader who specializes in leveraging business, engineering, and data to optimize decision-making. His various roles have ranged from architecting and designing production ML/AI systems, to hiring, growing, and leading engineering and data science teams.

Previously, Dr. Ross led the data science and backend engineering efforts at The Meta, an esports training platform used by millions of competitive gamers. Before joining The Meta, Dr. Ross was a Professor of Data Science at the University of San Francisco, where his research focused on how to effectively use data and data science techniques to answer business questions. During this time, he was also the Assistant Director of the University of San Francisco’s Data Institute, where he led and developed academic-industry partnerships to create a world-class masters of data science program. Under his leadership, the Data Institute placed hundreds of students into top data science positions in both the private and public sectors, with a job placement rate of over 90% within 3 months of graduation. As a consultant, he spearheaded data efforts at leading tech companies in the video and online game industry, from early-stage startups to multinational companies.

Dr. Ross received his PhD from UCLA, his Masters from UC Davis, and his Bachelor of Science from UC Berkeley. He has published papers in a variety of journals as well as given talks in both academic and industry settings.

Trevor is a Software Engineer II at the DSI. He helps social impact organizations to enhance their operations, research, and communication by utilizing software engineering and data science tools. His work focuses on agriculture, human rights, energy, and marine technology. Trevor also mentors student teams in the Data Science Clinic. Before DSI, Trevor worked as a research assistant at Argonne National Laboratory. Trevor has a BS in Computer Science from MIT.