About TDAI

About TDAI

What We Do

The Translational Data Analytics Institute brings together Ohio State faculty and students with industry and community partners to create interdisciplinary, data-intensive solutions to grand challenges. We do this by:

Below: TDAI Managing Director Dr. Cathie Smith gives overviews of TDAI at the Academic Data Science Alliance Leadership Summit (left) and Intersections 2019 (right)

Advisory Boards

TDAI is grateful for the guidance of its advisory boards and committees that help set strategic direction for the institute's priorities and activities.

Elliot Bendoly - Professor, Operations and Business Analytics; SMB-Analytics Co-Director
Jan Box-Steffensmeier - Vernal Riffe Professor of Political Science and Professor of Sociology
Ginger Breon - Chief Technology Officer, Office of Technology and Digital Innovation
Dave Hudak - Executive Director, Ohio Supercomputer Center
Lang Li - Chair, College of Medicine Department of Biomedical Informatics
Meris Longmeier - University Libraries Head of Research Services and Associate Professor, Research and Education
Liz Newton - Executive Director, Battelle Center for Science, Engineering and Public Policy, John Glenn College of Public Policy
Andre Palmer - College of Engineering Associate Dean for Research and Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Scott Shearer - Professor and Chair of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences

Rehgan Avon; Founder, Women in Analytics; Founder and Owner, Ikonos Analytics  
Jonathon Baker; Associate Director of Instructional Advancement for the Michael V. Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning; Associated Associate Professor, Department of Statistics
Christy Bertolo; Co-Founder, UNITE
Kacy Bullard; Director of Advocacy in the Office of Government Affairs and the Ohio State University Alumni Association
Lyda Garcia; Associate Professor in the Dept. of Animal Sciences
Chinwe Okpalaoka; Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Recruitment for the College of Arts & Sciences
Maria Palazzi; Professor of Design and associated faculty at the Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design (ACCAD)
LaTonia Stiner-Jones; Associate Dean of Graduate Programs, College of Engineering, and Associate Professor of Practice in Biomedical Engineering
Amy Spellacy; Project Manager, Office of Research
Nikki Thomas; Program manager for Ohio State ADVANCE
Asu Turkmen; Camp Director

Rebecca Butler; Columbus State Community College; Executive Vice President
Melissa Cragin; San Diego Supercomputer Center; Chief Scientist, Data Initiatives
HV Jagadish; Michigan Institute for Data Science (MIDAS); Director; Professor, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science
Lennie Kahn; GE Healthcare; Global Product Manager
Rob Littleton; CoverMyMeds; Senior Manager, Data Science
Dave Logan; Aruba Networks/HPE; VP, Strategy
John MacMullen; Midwest Big Data Innovation Hub; Executive Director
Nancy McMillan; Battelle; Division Manager, Advanced Analytics
Lucas Joppa; Microsoft; Chief Environmental Officer
Greg Morrisett; Cornell Tech; Dean and Vice Provost
Bharat Rao; KPMG; (Retired) Partner; National Leader for Healthcare & Life Sciences, Data & Analytics

 

David Sivakoff - Associate Professor, Department of Statistics and Department of Mathematics
Thomas Bihari - Associate Professor of Practice, Department of Computer Science & Engineering
Rebekah Matheny - Associate Professor, Department of Design
Maria Palazzi - Professor, Department of Design; Director Advance Computing Center for the Arts and Design
Mary Stromberger - Vice Provost and Dean for Graduate Education

Diversity Statement

Embracing diversity is a core value of TDAI, including representing and honoring voices and perspectives that enrich our efforts and foster an inclusive, nurturing culture. TDAI subscribes to the definition of "diversity" as outlined by Ohio State’s College of Nursing, which states “diversity as the variety of differences and similarities among people which can include gender, race/ethnicity, tribal/indigenous origins, age, culture, generation, religion, class/caste, language, education, geography, nationality, different abilities, sexual orientation, work style, work experience, job role and function, military involvement, thinking style, personality type and other ideologies.”

TDAI is a founding member of the Academic Data Science Alliance
The Academic Data Science Alliance logo

Why “translational” data analytics?

The use of the term “translational” reflects a fundamental shift toward utilizing data science and analytics to solve issues of global importance.

In 2014, TDAI defined “translational data analytics” as the application of data analytics theories and methods to generate solutions for real world problems, or use cases, derived from consultation with impacted stakeholders, and the subsequent delivery and dissemination of those solutions in a manner that enables stakeholders to use them in a tangible and quantifiable way.

The National Science Foundation later applied the “translational” concept to data science: “Translational data science” is a new term that is being used for an emerging field that applies data science principles, techniques, and technologies to challenging scientific problems that hold the promise of having an important impact on human or societal welfare. The term is also used when data science principles, techniques and technologies are applied to problems in different domains in general, including—but not restricted to—science and engineering research.

A photo of Tanya Berger-Wolf smiling at the camera

"Translational data analytics" is translating data into knowledge and action to benefit the world.

—TDAI Faculty Director Dr. Tanya Berger-Wolf