Challenges of our Time: Big Data Revolution: Transforming Our Futures

The University of Stirling and Stirling Management School, invites you to this panel discussion, the penultimate event in our 'Challenges of our Time' lecture series, part of our 50th anniversary celebrations.

The event is free of charge, but we ask that you register in advance.

Lecture abstract

Each day we produce 2.5 billion gigabytes of data and 90% of data that exists was collected in the last two years alone. Few would argue that the application of analytic tools to get insights from this data is transforming the way business and society operates. This event brings together leading research and industry experts  to further the debate on the opportunities and challenges from (big) data to drive innovation and performance in private and public organisations. The Datalab, Scotland’s data science innovation centre, will introduce the lecture by providing the background context to this data revolution in Scotland and globally. Raymond Martin (Virgin Money) and Jonathan Cameron (National Health Service) will discuss how advanced analytics are helping design and deliver better products and services in the financial and public health sector. Professor William Webster will close the event by highlighting the importance of sound data governance to safeguard data protection and privacy.

This event will be Chaired by Professor George Burt, Deputy Dean of the Stirling Management School.

 Tea and coffee will be available from 5.30pm for those attending the lecture.

Panellists

Victoria Clark (Business Development Executive, The Datalab)

Victoria is an experienced Sales Professional who joins the Data Lab from the Utilities industry where she was a Strategic Account Executive, providing Business Development across the UK as well as Account Managing multi-national companies such as large retailers and many public sector customers. Victoria’s primary focus is on skills development for The Data Lab. The Datalab is an innovation centre focused on helping Scottish industry to capitalise on a growing market opportunity in data science in Scotland. The Data Lab enables industry, public sector and world-class university researchers to innovate and develop new data science capabilities in a collaborative environment. Its core mission is to generate significant economic, social and scientific value from big data.

Mr Raymond Martin (Customer Insight Manager, Virgin Money)

Working in the three very disparate industries Raymond discovered and harnessed his passion for Data Science and its opportunities to influence the transformational change to a business’s performance or strategy.  From his grounding in data analysis with a small import/export business to his current role as the creator and driver of Virgin Money’s award winning Voice of the Customer program Raymond has seen first-hand the power that quality insight analysis to key decision makers at the right time can drive. Ensuring that this analysis is continually robust, accurate and relevant requires an ever evolving commitment to learning new analysis techniques to keep up with new skills and tools available to the industry.

Mr Jonathan Cameron (Head of Service – Strategic Development, National Health Service)

Jonathan is Head of Service for Strategy and Development for the Information Services Division (ISD) in NHS National Services Scotland. Jonathan has responsibility for the Data Science strategy for his organisation and leads on a wide ranging portfolio including projects for Primary Care, Community Care and Innovation. Prior to this Jonathan was Head of IT Projects and Programmes for eHealth and has a long career in IT in both Public and Private sectors.

Professor William Webster (University of Stirling)

William Webster is Professor of Public Policy and Management at the Stirling Management School, University of Stirling. He is a Director of CRISP (the Centre for Research into Information Surveillance and Privacy), a research centre dedicated to understanding the social impacts and consequences of technologically mediated surveillance practices. Professor Webster has research expertise in the policy processes, regulation and governance of CCTV, surveillance in everyday life, privacy and surveillance ethics, as well as public policy relating to data protection, e-government, and electronic public services. He is chair of the Scottish Privacy Forum and the Living in Surveillance Societies (LiSS) COST Action. He is also involved in a number of international research projects, including the ESRC funded SmartGov project and the Increasing Resilience in Surveillance Societies (IRISS) and ‘ASSERT’ European Commission FP7 projects.

Registration

This lecture is free to attend and but we ask that you please register online in advance.

Further information

If you require any further information please contact the University's Events Team at events@stir.ac.uk.