Data science is a hot topic in every industry. Are electrochemists late to the table? The Data Science Showcase at the 236th ECS Meeting is an opportunity to learn about new electrochemical and solid state research and the open source software and the datasets that underpin the work. The research talks are complemented by a demonstration on how to access, use, modify, and improve the open source tools and data associated with the research projects.
The symposium organizers, Daniel Schwartz, David Beck, and Mathew Murbach, recently guest edited an issue of Interface on the value of applying data science to electrochemistry. They quote early chemical engineering adopters of data science who describe it as the application of modern data management practices, statistical and machine learning, and advanced visualization to ask and answer new questions.
The authors of “What Is Data Science? An Introduction for and by Electrochemical Engineers,” argue that the basic workflow for using data science techniques is not “one size fits all.” It requires the intentional management of data to be useful. Understanding the system and thinking about sometimes non-obvious formulations is critical.
The Data Science Showcase is sure to address these and other pressing questions facing electrochemists as they move into the data age. The science is such a fast moving field that the showcase concludes with a “Late Breaking News” session to feature emerging electrochemical and solid state research that embraces open software and open data sets.
