Dear Data,

You are immense. Too big for me to create summary reports that are useful, perform basic statistical analysis to draw meaningful conclusions and I can forget just looking at you directly.

I am going for help - to Las Vegas, in October.

Yep, and when I return you will be tamed. I will be able to do so much more with you… and make better decisions because of you. I will probably be able to ask better targeted questions, which would be a nice change. Not only that, but I will make some pretty valuable contacts so that if I have further questions about you, I can get some answers.

I am going to M2010, the Data Mining Conference. I hear the presentations are great, and lots of folks submit posters to present. The poster session is open to all data mining practitioners – from corporate or academic fields.

I will even get to meet the student poster winners, who will have won a scholarship for a free trip to the conference. The five most impressive posters submitted by students will be awarded with an all-inclusive trip to Las Vegas to attend M2010. The prize includes airfare, hotel, meals and a free conference registration. You must be a full-time student at an accredited university or college to be considered. Students who were full-time students in the 2009-2010 academic year are also eligible. Who knows, I just might have to submit one myself. But I had better get working because abstracts must be received by September 1, 2010!

Anyone can submit a poster, and I am looking forward to seeing them.

So, consider yourself forewarned.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth