How do computers learn to work with “big data”?
Meet the Data Decoders—a team of scientists at the Solís-Lemus Lab who use math and computers to interpret huge amounts of data from biological experiments. In the resources below, you’ll learn about these scientists and their lab, discover why their research matters in real life, and try out an activity. Take notes as you explore!
Learn Why Research Matters
The Solís-Lemus Lab uses the power of math and computers to answer biological questions. In the following video, you’ll learn about why they research this through a real-world story about a biologist who has so much data that she needs a computer model to help her interpret it.
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Questions to Consider:
Have you done any computer programming or coding before? How do you tell a computer what you’d like it to do?
Tatiana and Yuren had to figure out how to process ‘big data’. When else have you heard about computers analyzing large amounts of data?
“Yuren is a data scientist, and she is taking information I gathered and teaching computers to identify animal sounds. I’m very excited because it would probably take me my entire life to [analyze] all the recordings, but this program will do it in like a week!”
Meet The Scientists
There are 4 cards to read.
Claudia Solís-Lemus
Principal Investigator
I mentor and train the students and researchers in my lab, and I guide the development of scientific products like papers and presentations. 📋
Yunyi Shen
Graduate Student
I am one of the graduate students that develop new methods to analyze data. 💻
Sam Ozminkowski
Research Assistant
I am a research assistant in the lab. Most of my job involves programming, but I also do things like reading, writing, and creating/interpreting graphs. 📊
Yuren Sun
Undergraduate Researcher
I work on training computers to analyze data. This means that I modify data inputs, test the training outputs, and revise the ways to prepare the data, over and over again… 👩💻
You are a student scientist!
Create your own card. Add info all about you!
Ask questions!
Being a scientist means asking new questions and learning new things. Click through the topics below to ask questions of the scientists at the Solís-Lemus Lab and learn about their research.
Click on a tab above to begin.
What is your lab and what do you do there?
How do computers learn?
What are you studying using data science?
How do you visualize the data that you work with?
What advice do you have to get into data science?
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Do Science!
Science Practices Activity
Now put what you’ve learned into practice! Join Yunyi as he collaborates with plant biologist Matilda to make a model that can support her data analysis.
Project Credits
Producers
Ian Glodich
Coordinating Producer
Mia Forslund
Videography
Ryan Hendricks
Ian Glodich
Video Editor
Ian Glodich
Ryan Hendricks
Sound
Beauxregard Neylon
Web Design
Charles Barrows
Web Development
John Vieth
Tim Schneider
Graphic and Motion Design
Charles Barrows
Jen Hadley
Amanda Roslansky
Brian Lorbiecki
Video Captioning
Catie Pfeifer
Vicki Way Kipp
University of Wisconsin-Madison Cultural Linguistic Services
Science Education Consultant
Travis Tangen, WID
Kevin Anderson, PhD, DPI
Educator Guide and Activities
Mia Forslund
Ian Glodich
Claudia Solís-Lemus
Yunyi Shen
Scientists
Claudia Solis-Lemus, PhD
Sam Ozminkowski
Yunyi Shen
Yuren Sun
Additional Content Support
Hedi Baxter Lauffer, Wisconsin Fast Plants
Sound Forest Lab
Project Partners
Morgridge Institute for Research
Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
Wisconsin Institute for Discovery
Solís-Lemus Lab
Executive Producer
Megan Monday
Director of Education
Alyssa Tsagong
Director of Television
Jon Miskowski
Educator Cohort
Joy Aragones
The Prairie School
Wind Point, WI
Kathy Biernat
Notre Dame School of Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WI
Jessica Buckley
Wedgewood Park Middle School
Milwaukee, WI
Lisa Graf
Merrill Middle School
Oshkosh, WI
Aimee Spahos
Waunakee Intermediate School
Waunakee, WI
Emily Watton
West Allis Central High School
West Allis, WI
Amy Reimer
Core Knowledge Charter School, Verona, WI (2024)
Greg Rose
Clintonville School District, Clintonville, WI (2024)
Kathy Biernat
St. Alphonsus, Archdiocese of Milwaukee; Zanilu Educational Services (2024)
Funding Provided By
Timothy William Trout Education Fund
a gift of Monroe and Sandra Trout
Focus Fund for Education
Friends of PBS Wisconsin
Single Step Foundation