Data science offers immense potential for economic and societal impact, making a major difference to the way we live and work. Research in this theme is aimed at taking an interdisciplinary approach to address a range of real world problems using Big Data. We ask fundamental questions about how to exploit data and extract useful, actionable knowledge to address practical problems. 

In health Big Data has helped us develop targeted and preventative medical interventions, to monitor health inequalities and to model the spread of disease. In politics, data from social media helps us understand how younger people engage in the political and the nature of their social interactions.

Big Data also impacts on business and the economy. The increased deployment of sensors and internet-connected devices is allowing organisations to collect more and more data about the products and services they deliver - data that explains how their products are used, how often they should be maintained and how their services should be priced. Automated search of patent and literature databases can enable new forms of innovation, adding to the range of potential applications of Big Data analysis in business. 

We also promote knowledge transfer to non-traditional users of Big Data, helping identify pragmatic pathways for social scientists to gain access to Big Data and begin working within it in an efficient manner. Such data will include--but not be limited to--major survey databases, digital media data, and digital transactions data.

Browse the directory to meet our researchers in this area.

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