Two practitioners, at NASA Big Think on April 6, share their insights on and experience with Big Data at NASA.
For the second in a series of three Masters with Masters (MwM) on “What’s the Big Deal with Big Data,” Ed Hoffman, NASA Chief Knowledge Officer, will sit down with David Meza, Chief Knowledge Architect at Johnson Space Center (JSC), and Nick Skytland, Data Scientist and Evangelist at NASA Headquarters. The NASA and its community can stream the event live on Wednesday, April 6, from 1 to 2 pm, Central Time. The 500 viewers who attended the first live streaming interview—with John Sprague, Deputy, Technology & Innovation Division at NASA, and Brian Thomas, Data Scientist at NASA—should not miss this second event, continuing this MwMs series focusing on Big Data.
Masters with Masters – What’s the Big Deal with Big Data?
Wednesday, April 6, 1:00-2:00 p.m. CDT
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David Meza has worked in all aspects of the Information Technology field developing and deploying several IT systems in use at JSC. In his current role at JSC, he established the Operational Excellence program, promoting a viewpoint of organizational leadership that stresses the application of a variety of principles, systems, and tools toward the sustainable improvement of key performance metrics by focusing on the needs of the customer, empowering employees, and optimizing existing activities in the process. Meza is conducting research on Automatic Classification algorithms, domain specific search interfaces, topic modeling, data driven visualization and a Bayesian network model for risk analysis. Meza has developed and implemented various tools and techniques to facilitate process improvement, including work in knowledge management and Search. He leads the cross-agency CIO and Knowledge Services Search Working Group and JSC’s Operational Excellence Program. |
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Nick Skytland serves within Technology and Innovation Division of the Office of the Chief Information Officer at NASA Headquarters. Nick has leadership experience in EVA crew training, flight operations integration, and hardware development, as well as research in biomechanics and human physiology in microgravity. He has lead cutting-edge initiatives such as the International Space Apps Challenge and the National Day of Civic Hacking. Before his current position at NASA, he founded the Open Innovation Program, led the implementation of the Open Government, Open Data and Digital Strategy directives, envisioned future space exploration missions, designed next generation space suits, trained space-bound astronauts, developed open-source software and encouraged new partnerships between government and industry, academia and citizens. Nick has worked at the Boston Consulting Group, X Prize Foundation, the Zero G Corporation, General Motors and has recent executive leadership experience in an international innovation consulting firm, returning to NASA full-time in 2015 to pursue his vocational calling to exploration. He has presented research to the United Nations and the White House and has given numerous TEDx talks. |
NASA now faces continuous challenges in making effective use of Big Data, and those challenges are of great interest to those engaged with data and knowledge services. These include enabling the flow of Big Data across organizational boundaries, developing and supporting expertise in big data analysis, providing means for individuals and teams to explore, explain, and exhibit analysis results, and infusing lessons learned about and from Big Data into processes.
By illustrating the complexity of what can and needs to be done with Big Data at NASA, this second Masters with Masters continues to showcase points of view and create a platform for further discussion and collaboration. While the first and the second MwM allow differing standpoints (that broadened the diversity of thought) from scientists, research, and architects, all stress the importance of taking action with Big Data collectively and continuously.
To watch this event on USTREAM, please click here. Register for an account if you do not already have one. Then click the “Upcoming” link at the bottom of the page and click on ‘Remind Me.” You will be registered for the session and you will receive an email acknowledging your registration.
To learn more about attending the event live at Johnson Space Center (Building 56, Room 103), please contact Susan Snyder or call 301-837-3918.
To watch the first MwM on Big Data, please click here.
To watch previous Masters with Masters, please visit the NASA APPEL YouTube Channel.
Update: The original version of this article has been updated. Nick Skytland will be replacing Sandeep Shetye.
