Office of the Vice President for Research Hosts Networking Event for UVA Researchers

The University of Virginia (UVA) is home to diverse and multidisciplinary research initiatives. According to the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR), UVA saw $2.76B in research proposal activity in 2023 with $714M in research and development expenditures. There are a total of 10.1K academic faculty and staff with 1.3M square feet of labs and research space available.

However, it is not always easy for researchers across the institution to access the resources and support they need, as well as connect with potential collaborators. To address this problem, the OVPR is spearheading a series of events titled Advancing Discoveries and Driving Innovation to “spark new ideas, build connections, and explore interdisciplinary collaborations.” Their first event was cohosted by the School of Data Science and held earlier this month in their new building.

The theme of the event, "Where Data Meets Discovery: The Intersection of Science and Data,” was aimed at gathering data scientists and interdisciplinary researchers across the University for an early evening, informal gathering that facilitated and encouraged collaboration.

Nearly 70 researchers and academics met in the Capital One Hub at the School of Data Science and, over light refreshments, had the opportunity to share two-minute elevator pitches about their research projects or proposal ideas. 

Lori McMahon, Vice President for Research and Professor of Neuroscience, kicked off the event with a warm welcome. “This is an event to bring us, the research community, together,” she said. McMann held a similar series at her previous institution, the Medical University of South Carolina, to great success and noted that “magic happens as a consequence of these events.”

Phil Bourne, Dean of the School of Data Science, also welcomed the group. “This is exactly what we envisioned our building being used for,” he said. Bourne then introduced the host and moderator for the evening, STEM Advisor to the Provost and Marvin Rosenblum Professor of Mathematics Ken Ono.

Ono also expressed his endorsement of the event, reiterating that “collaboration funds research.” He then livened up the crowd with a joke: “How do you know if you’re a mean person? Your standard deviation is zero!”

McMann, a practicing neuroscientist, was the first to give a research pitch, discussing an idea for a data scientist to join a study that uses rat models to understand the early changes in Alzheimer's. Other attendees like Associate Vice President for Research Computing Josh Baller and Director of Clinical Research at UVA Health Tabor Flickinger were also seeking collaborative opportunities. In lieu of pitching a specific research project, they instead shared their experience and expertise as a potential resource for others.

The interdisciplinary and wide range of research proposals showed the extensive applicability of data science across different fields. Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Professor Xinfeng Gao shared her research on CFD model computation and fluidity dynamics. She was interested in collaborating with data scientists who could apply artificial intelligence to CFD models and aerospace applications.

Tish Jennings, a professor of education, explained how data science could aid her study of well-being in public schools where she was looking to use AI to test curriculums and review results. 

Additional proposals included data science applications in mental health, neuroscience of autism and epilepsy, development of ultrasound technologies, data linkage, and healthcare reform, to name a few.

Others opted for more general remarks, including Boris Kovatchev, founding director of the UVA Center for Diabetes Technology which created the artificial pancreas. Kovatchev shared that the artificial pancreas collects data vectors every five minutes. He outlined the Center’s quest for fully automated closed-loop control. Speaking on the importance of data science within these technologies, Kovatchev said, “Technology works best when it is visible.”

Judging by the animated discussions throughout the evening's event, "Advancing Discoveries and Driving Innovation" is off to a positive start bringing the UVA research community together. The School of Data Science—which refers to itself as a "School Without Walls"—was honored to serve as the inaugural host, showcasing the vast applications of data science and the importance of interdisciplinary research.