Think-a-Thons are open to researchers and students from high school through graduate studies. We encourage experts in health disparities, health outcomes, data science, and AI transparency and ethics to participate and share their knowledge through these sessions.
Collaborative data analysis can provide health disparities and health outcomes researchers access to powerful research tools. It can also help researchers ensure that AI tools are effective, efficient, and fit for purpose to improve health outcomes for all.
Think-a-Thons are designed to create opportunities for these forms of collaboration. They help researchers collaboratively improve their understanding of AI and cloud computing, develop team-based publishable research projects, and learn to take advantage of the SCHARE platform. The SCHARE platform houses numerous datasets for social science, social determinants of health, health outcomes, and health disparities, as well as secure workspaces and computational tools. A key goal of the SCHARE platform is to reduce cost and knowledge barriers related to the use of AI and cloud computing and to advance research on health disparities, health outcomes, and the development of effective, efficient, and fit-for-purpose AI models.
Participants can choose which Think-a-Thons to attend based on their knowledge and interests. There are no attendance prerequisites. Some Think-a-Thons will teach participants to use the SCHARE platform and others will help participants launch collaborative research teams.
Think-a-Thons are held virtually on Zoom.
See the SCHARE Think-a-Thon schedule for details and to register.
Think-a-Thons are two-to-three-hour virtual meetings that enable participants to achieve two key goals:
- Learn to use the SCHARE Cloud, including its computational tools, datasets, and the Terra platform
- Form cross-disciplinary, multi-level research collaborations that will lead to publications on health disparities, health care delivery, health outcomes, and/or the development of fit-for-purpose AI models
The teams formed during research collaboration Think-a-Thons will continue their collaborative efforts beyond their initial meeting, as they complete their research project and develop and submit a publication.
Think-a-Thon organizers will provide participants with the following material before each session, if applicable:
- An agenda
- Useful background material, reports, and a relevant glossary of key terms or information
Artificial intelligence (AI) uses machines intentionally designed by humans to perceive, synthesize, infer, and identify patterns in big data to help make rapid decisions or anticipate problems. AI combines information from a variety of different sources, including sensors, digital data, or remote inputs, and acts on the insights derived from those data, often in real time. Some commonly used AI tools include R packages and Python libraries for structured and unstructured data.
Cloud computing involves using a secure network of remote servers hosted on the internet to store, manage, and process amounts of data too large for personal computers while still enabling these data to be utilized in confidential personal workspaces
Cloud computing can provide:
- Cost savings by eliminating the need to pay for data storage space or features that researchers do not need.
- Real-time data management and collaboration on a centralized platform.
- Enhanced data security and data loss prevention through secure cloud-based storage and data encryption.
Common barriers to the use of AI and cloud computing tools include a lack of opportunities for training and collaboration with relevant experts, as well as potentially prohibitive costs.
Think-a-Thons lower these barriers by facilitating the use of AI and cloud computing tools on the SCHARE platform. The SCHARE platform contains easily accessible, open-source tools for data analysis. The Think-a-Thon collaborative framework promotes learning and the formation of multi-disciplinary research teams which combine data science experts with health experts.
Please see the SCHARE Think-a-Thon schedule to view upcoming topics.