African Open Science

What are the data skills requirements and how

initiatives scale to meet the need?

2016-12-07Magdalena Eriksson, PhDDirector, Academic DevelopmentAfrican Institute for Mathematical Sciences-Next Einstein InitiativeUniversity of Cape Coast, Ghana

www.nexteinstein.org

Data – basic perspective

15 %

Datum (pl. data) – a record of a raw, untreated fact

Information – set of data, which is at least partially related by subject or nature of the data. Implies some level of real or conceptual homogeneity

Knowledge – body of information that has been evaluated with reference to a particular circumstance, e.g. level of education in a country

Source: Prof. FKA Allotey

Data – Education perspective

15 %

Information – basis for research -> knowledge

Knowledge – necessary/desirable for

• Decision making (knowledge is evaluated)

• Teaching (knowledge is shared)

• Learning (knowledge is acquired)

• Common understanding (culture)

Data today

15 %

Growing capacity to generate, store and process data ->

we can more easily go back to the ‘basics’ (access large data sets)

This puts requirements on data training/usage:

• Scientific and technical skills for handling and using data

• Versatility in applications of data usage, e.g.

– Modelling of disease spread

– Modelling of migration

– Modelling of climate effects

Data today, ctd

15 %

Requirements on data training:

• Responsibility

– Use data correctly

– Use data for valid purposes

– Report conclusions responsibly

AIMS Vision

15 %

To lead the transformation of Africa throughinnovative scientific training, technicaladvances and breakthrough discoveries,that benefit the whole of society.

Data Education and Skills –AIMS as an example

15 %

AIMS (African Institute for Mathematical Sciences):

• Training at Master’s and PhD levels

• Research

• Community engagement

• Teacher training

• Next Einstein Forum (NEF)

• Partnerships – local international

AIMS

2003

20162014

20132012

2011

AIMS Master’s Programmes ~ 300 students/yr

Pan-African student body- at least 1/3 women (men)

World class facultyResident tutors

24/7environment

The academic year at AIMS

Skills Review Research

• Skills, review and research phases

• Each block 3 weeks

• Computing• Problem solving

• Spread of topics• Theoretical• Applied

• Individuallysupervised projects• Thesis defense

Grad.

AIMS Curriculum

15 %

• Skills emphasis

– computer use (primarily open source environments and software!)

– problem solving, versatility

– learning by doing

• Blend of courses in theoretical and applied subjects offered

• Current – develops from one year to the next

• Accredited programs

Soliton experiment

15 %

Big Data specialization

15 %

• In partnership with The MasterCard Foundation, AIMS Senegal offers a pilot track of its MSc that includes Work Integrated Learning (Coop version)

• 18 months in total, including two industry periods

• Research project done at industry

• Two focus areas: Big Data and Computer Security

• Courses and seminars in focus areas

• Selected students do internships with local partner industries as part of training

• 12 students enrolled in first batch

• 20 in the second batch

• Program will be ‘cloned’ at other AIMS sites

Big Data training

15 %

Intro course learning objectives include:

• Understand the techniques and challenges inloading and cleaning large datasets

• Understand how algorithms for analytics interface to databases

• Load, clean and interrogate large data sets

Further, important learning from

• Seminars on Big Data (at AIMS)

• Internships at companies

Big Data internships

15 %

Host of student interns include:

• Multinational company in digital services

• Startup company in advertising services

• Ministry of Higher Education and Research

Feedback from pilot at several stages

• Course work

• Internships at companies

• Student readiness

Research

15 %

• Each AIMS centre has a research facility

• Chairs - senior and junior – increasing number

• Funded (e.g. by Humboldt Foundation, IDRC)

• Researchers visit – short or long term

• Some work in open data fields (astronomy, genome analysis, immunology, finance...)

• Publish >100 papers/year together

Research supervision

15 %

• PhD students at AIMS centres, 25-30 in progress

• ~40 research Master’s students

Focused research

15 %

• Quantum science research centre, QLA, in Kigali (2017)

• Climate change research (Canadian IDRC support)

with 2-year Master’s training programme planned

Conclusions

15 %

• AIMS has a multi-faceted approach to Open Science

– Training – general

– Training – specialization (e.g. Big Data)

– Research – advancing science

– Research training – PhD, Master’s programmes

– Research with special focus (Climate Change)

• Graduates well trained in data science ready to participate in Open Science at various levels

• AIMS as a network keen to contribute to Open Science in Africa

Conclusions

15 %

Skills Requirements?

• Technical skills? Yes

• Versatility? Yes, by various contexts

• Responsible use of open resources? Yes, inculcate values, adopting standards etc by examples and discussions

Scale?

• Today’s initiatives probably not enough

• Much can happen in a few years

• A common platform can facilitate the process

OUR PARTNERSAfrican Government Partners

Funding partners

Academic partners

Policy partners

Industry partners

Thank you!