Data science is often called the “next big thing.” We hear about it all the time, how data scientists are able to predict election results and the careers of sports players. But what is it, really? Forget the formal definitions and long winded explanations. Data science is about telling stories with data. Those stories could be about what causes you to click on an ad or what causes you to vote for a candidate. The tools used to tell those stories vary from the very complex — like data mining — to very simple — like a bar chart. The point is this: data science is about using data we have to say something about the world around us. It is that simple.
At Ushahidi, we are looking at ways of using data to help crisis response efforts. As a step in that direction, we are looking for databases and datasets containing crisis relevant data. Have a source of data you think would be relevant to disasters? Have a cool dataset you’ve been holding onto? We want to hear from you! Reach out to Chris at chris+datahunt AT Ushahidi DOT com
Since 2008, Ushahidi has been changing the way information flows. Thanks for paying attention.