Hill said. “When we think about science tools, we think about the profound effect the microscope has had on biology. That’s the kind of impact computation will have on so many industries.” For marketers, the job opportunities are obvious. Targeted analytics can lead directly to spikes in sales. But Chapman’s undergraduate, master’s and Ph.D. programs in computational science are also preparing students to make the most of genome data, other bioinformatics, Hesham El-Askary experimental economics results and more. “Any company, any endeavor that seeks to take advantage of Big Data is now a potential client of ours,” says Michael Fahy, Ph.D., professor of mathematics and computer science and associate dean at Schmid College.
EDUCATED RISKS
For Hesham El-Askary, Ph.D., assistant professor of remote sensing and earth system sciences at Chapman, a leap forward in computer analytics can do more than impact lives. It can save them. El-Askary and his graduate-student researchers at Chapman study natural events like dust storms and hurricanes, using data collected by everything from ground monitors to sensors in the hydrosphere. Better predictive modeling means better disaster planning. The professor points to the two computers on his desk. “That one has two terabytes of data, and that one has two more,” he says. “Can you imagine what it would be like if you had to open those files one by one? That’s why we need an automated way to filter these massive files and turn it into meaningful predictive analytics.” Across industries, “we need talented people able to think critically, communicate clearly and learn rapidly,” says El-Askary, who in March was preparing for an April 4–6 conference at Chapman on Big Data and analytics — the 44th Symposium on the Interface of Computing and Statistics. Like conference attendees, analysts of the future will need a deep understanding of technology. But they will also benefit from an entrepreneurial bent, the professor said. Because it’s those who take educated risks who will spark breakthroughs in understanding. And those job opportunities Hill mentioned? El-Askary pulls out a folder filled with a stack of letters from high-profile employers like Laurence Livermore National Laboratory and Jet Propulsion Laboratory, as well as environmental-modeling start-ups like ATMET, LLC. “Things are pretty wide open,” Fahy says. “There’s a lot of space for start-ups.” The letters offer internships and other opportunities for Chapman to link the employers with motivated students who are the problemsolvers of the future. “That tells us what we’re doing is the right thing for now and for tomorrow,” El-Askary says.
>> BRACKETOLOGY
TO THE NTH DEGREE
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very year, Jacob Sudek ’14 would start with a gleeful case of March Madness, only to end up in the dumps, clutching a losing NCAA basketball tournament bracket sheet. His gut instincts were getting him nowhere. “Now I’m teaching my gut,” he said. To do that, the business administration major has immersed himself in computer analytics and turned his obsession with a perfect bracket into a Chapman University research project. Teaming with Argyros School of Business and Economics Professor Ken Murphy, who has a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon in operations research, Sudek has amassed 900,000 data points covering everything from obscure statistics to coaching tendencies. “There are aspects of our approach we think are novel,” Murphy said. The two are building an algorithm and predictive models designed to take the guesswork out of picking winners. Of course, there are so many variables in basketball that they can’t possibly hope to get all the games right. After all, the odds of filling out a perfect 68-team bracket are calculated at 9.2 quintillion to 1. That’s a 9.2 followed by 18 zeros. “I know it’s possible,” says Sudek. “With the right model, anything is possible.” Last year he and Murphy got 83 percent of their picks right, and this year Sudek was confident they’d at least end up in the low 90s. Ultimately, they hope to have a model they can market to pro or Division I college teams seeking an edge on their opponents. Sudek also thinks analytics can be a ticket to a coaching job. For now he’s just glad to have a bracket sheet that makes him feel good. In his gut.
Jacob Sudek ’14