IPP Symposium
Just because we have big data doesn't mean we have the right data
Casey Dunn, Brown University Professor, Evolutionary Biology
Some types of data are now very inexpensive to collect, which means that many large datasets that pertain to all aspects of life are now being collected. They are highly biased towards cheap data, rather than the most relevant data to particular problems. This has big impacts on how we ask questions, and often changes the questions we ask. The impact has been particularly strong in biology.
Casey Dunn's work includes both laboratory testing and field ventures that have put him in contact with a wide array of interesting species including the Cnidaria designation, which includes creatures such as jellyfish and coral. He completed his Ph.D. at Yale University and now splits his time between teaching Biology at Brown University and contributing to his blog CreatureCast, which is a collaborative effort devoted to the exploration of zoology.
