Big Data

At Iowa State University, big data represents a cross-cutting enabler of discovery. It is integrated throughout the campus based upon our belief that the broader the application of data science, the greater the rewards.

Our researchers are connected to the world’s largest data sets. The ability to match materials properties with the characteristics allows breakthroughs to happen in months rather than years. It offers potential to cure or prevent cancer, HIV, or new strains of influenza. It enables scientists to select and adapt crop varieties that can thrive in widely varied climates. And it offers industry the opportunity to harness more energy and improve the safety, speed, and efficiency of air travel.

Iowa State University’s big data capabilities include a national inventory of all parcels of land in the United States, helping planners determine where to build streets, rail lines, and schools. The Iowa State Method also provides the world’s most comprehensive dietary data analysis to help policy makers around the world manage food and nutrition programs to serve the undernourished.