Big Data can solve the world’s biggest problems. As a senior data science and data analytics leader, I work at the intersection of data, statistics, and computational science. My entire career has been dedicated to generating, processing, and ultimately, making sense of data to enable insights and discoveries. After establishing myself as a data scientist and researcher, I joined companies including MDS Proteomics and Merck, managing proteomics and informatics functions to tackle some of the biggest challenges in human health including diabetes and Alzheimer's. I’m driven to help my students, faculty, and stakeholders get the most out of data. Nothing is more fulfilling to me than when users have that “Ah-ha!” moment, and realize they can achieve goals they thought were stretch at best. While I’m a huge data enthusiast, I’m also a compute junkie. I like working at the intersection of the two. Big data, or complex compute, in my every day job it is always an "and" that makes me smile. My goal in getting my users and students to the aforementioned “Ah-ha!” moments is to simplify the compute interface to remove any artificial boundaries to using large compute systems. That’s where my $3M-grant for Open OnDemand comes in and allows me to give users the power of high-performance computing via the accessibility of a web-based, user-friendly interface. When it comes to my approach as a leader, I’m committed to nurturing creativity. In our work, we’re continuously pushing boundaries and doing things that have never been done before; creativity is key to navigating that unknown space. Not only am I a leader, I am a teacher, and that’s what deep learning is all about, and why I became a Certified Nvidia Deep Learning ambassador and lecturer in the Virginia Tech statistics department. To be an effective teacher, you must be committed to your own continuous learning as well. I’m an avid reader of all things modeling and statistics, especially if it involves time-series. Core Skills & Strengths ■ Data Science & Data Analytics ■ Data, Cloud & Storage Strategy ■ Machine Learning & Deep Learning ■ Data Warehouse Systems ■ Data Visualizations If you dig data like I do, feel free to connect or email me at bobsettlage@gmail.com.