Gregory Piatetsky-Shapiro, PHD, is the President of KDnuggets, a leading site for Analytics, Big Data, Data Science, and Machine Learning. Gregory is a co-founder of KDD (Knowledge Discovery and Data mining conferences), and a top research conference in the field... He is also a co-founder and past chair of ACM SIGKDD, a professional association for Data Mining and Data Science, and a well-known Data Scientist.

Interviewer: Rajib Bahar, Shabnam Khan

Agenda:

RB - According to Forbes, you're one of the top Big Data Influencers...Your KDNuggets site has well over 60 awards and mentions as a leading publication. I often find myself reading and tweeting your articles from KDNuggets. There are few places to find exciting articles on Data Science, AI, BigData... Please tell us a brief history of KDNuggets...

SB - I understand you have transitioned from researcher role to a high level editor role. What do you enjoy about it?

RB - What are your thoughts on Global trend on Machine Learning, AI, & Big Data?

SB - Where does automation of Data Science come into play? Is that a helpful process or distraction from useful analysis? How do you implement it?

RB - We all have bias. Does Big Data suffer from any bias such as implicit bias?

SB - Who are these so called Citizen Data Scientists? Why are they important? How can they serve society at large?

RB - How do we connect with you on twitter & social media?

Additional Reference Materials from Gregory for our listeners.

Data Science Automation:

Data Scientists Automated and Unemployed by 2025?

http://www.kdnuggets.com/2015/05/data-scientists-automated-2025.html

The Current State of Automated Machine Learning

http://www.kdnuggets.com/2017/01/current-state-automated-machine-learning.html

Trends:

Machine Learning overtaking Big Data

http://www.kdnuggets.com/2017/05/machine-learning-overtaking-big-data.html

Optimism about AI improving society is high, but drops with experience developing AI systems

http://www.kdnuggets.com/2017/07/optimism-ai-impact-experience.html

Bias in Big Data

http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/04/even-artificial-intelligence-can-acquire-biases-against-race-and-gender

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/apr/13/ai-programs-exhibit-racist-and-sexist-biases-research-reveals

https://www.forbes.com/sites/mariyayao/2017/05/01/dangers-algorithmic-bias-homogenous-thinking-ai/#42d724d270b3

Mirage of a Citizen Data Scientist:

http://www.kdnuggets.com/2016/03/mirage-citizen-data-scientist.html

Citizen Data Scientist Cartoon:

http://www.kdnuggets.com/2016/03/cartoon-citizen-data-scientist.html

Overfitting

The Cardinal Sin of Data Mining and Data Science: Overfitting

http://www.kdnuggets.com/2014/06/cardinal-sin-data-mining-data-science.html

Music: www.freesfx.co.uk

Jen Underwood, founder of Impact Analytix, LLC, is a recognized analytics industry expert. She has a unique blend of product management, design and over 20 years of “hands-on” development of data warehouses, reporting, visualization and advanced analytics solutions. In addition to keeping a constant pulse on industry trends, she enjoys digging into oceans of data. Jen is honored to be an IBM Analytics Insider, SAS contributor, former Tableau Zen Master, and active analytics community member.

In the past, Jen has held worldwide product management roles at Microsoft and served as a technical lead for system implementation firms. She has launched new analytics products and turned around failed projects. Today she provides industry thought leadership, advisory, strategy, and market research. She also writes for InformationWeek, O’Reilly Media and other tech industry publications.

Jen has a Bachelor of Business Administration – Marketing, Cum Laude from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee and a post-graduate certificate in Computer Science – Data Mining from the University of California, San Diego.

Interviewer: Rajib Bahar, Shabnam Khan

- WSJ had an article on automation analytics recently. As if we don't have enough terms to keep track of such as descriptive analytics, predictive analytics, prescriptive analytics... What is the deal with automation analytics? Are they calling automatically scheduled jobs automation analytics? Or is this concept completely different?

- According to Gartner, “By 2019, natural-language generation will be a standard feature of 90% of modern BI and analytics platforms.” NLG was also cited by Forbes in 2017 as a Top 10 Hot AI technology. What is natural-language generation? How does this subfield of AI differ from Natural language processing or NLP?

- Recently, you released a white-paper on "Humanizing Enterprise Application Software with Natural Language". Would you like to share the lessons you have learned?

- What major forces are currently driving demand for Advanced NLG?

- How do Basic & Advanced NLG work?

- Are there any benefits of embedding NLG into applications?

- Is Quill by Narrative Science the only NLG product in this area? How does it compare to the competition? Please share it's pros and cons to other similar platform.

- how do we connect with you in Twitter or other professional networking sites?

Music: www.freesfx.co.uk

Dan English is a Microsoft Data Platform MVP, author, speaker, community leader, husband, and father.

He is the Group Leader for the PASS Business Analytics Virtual Group.

Also, He is a Business Intelligence Architect and Community Leader with a strong passion for Microsoft technologies. Specializes in Business Intelligence, Microsoft BI Toolset, Analysis Services (SSAS), BI Semantic Model (BISM), Datazen, Excel, Integration Services (SSIS), OLAP, PerformancePoint (PPS), Power BI, Power BI Desktop, Power Map, Power Query, Power View, Power Pivot, ProClarity (PAS), Pyramid Analytics (BI Office), Reporting Services (SSRS), Report Builder (RB), SharePoint Server, SQL Server.

Interviewer: Rajib Bahar, Shabnam Khan

Agenda:

RB - I used to work in your team... You would do your part in getting the team involved in technical community. As I recall at the time you were involved with PASS BA Virtual Group. What was the motivation behind it's origin? Why is it important?

SB - Let's talk about SQL Saturday program which provides the tools and knowledge needed for groups and event leaders to organize and host a free day of training for SQL Server professionals... Several years ago you interviewed several experts local to the Minnesota's technology community. Those were broadcasted via KFAI radio later. What were some of the most interesting things you learned from that experience?

RB - You were involved in co-authoring and technical editing of multiple books. Most technologists we talked to found the book writing process to be a painful set of activity... What was your experience like?

SB - Microsoft runs this MVP program, which recognizes notable professionals in their area of expertise. You are a data platform MVP. What is the MVP program about? Is it based on technical knowledge or serving of such knowledge?

SB - Any thoughts on Gartner's ranking of current Business Intelligence tools, practices, platforms?

RB - When you're not a technologist, you're a father and often coach your kids soccer team. Do you bring your work to your coaching experience or coaching experience to work? or both?

SB - How do we connect with you on twitter or blog or linkedin?

Music: www.freesfx.co.uk

Dave leads the technology strategy for AllSight and works with clients on their initial implementations of AllSight. He has many years of experience working on the architecture and development of mission-critical enterprise applications in both the product and custom solution spaces. Dave came from IBM where he was a Senior Technical Staff Member responsible for leading the InfoSphere MDM portfolio of products and working directly with clients around the world.

Interviewer; Rajib Bahar

Agenda:

- In your previous role at IBM, you were a MDM Data Architect. How has that role related to your Customer Intelligence 360 initiative?

- What's Entity Resolution in the Big Data Scene?

- I'm interested in learning about as many techniques involving stitching together and de-duplicate customer data on Big Data platform? What operational and analytical use cases do they have?

- As it relates to Customer Intellgence 360, what are some Machine Learning and Graph DB solutions out there?

- How do we connect with you on twitter / social media?

Music: www.freesfx.co.uk

Brad Rubin has been a professor in the Graduate Programs in Software department in the School of Engineering at the University of St. Thomas for the past 13 years. He is also Director of the Center of Excellence for Big Data, and teaches a course in Big Data Architecture, along with courses in Computer Security and Scala. He co-leads the Twin Cities Spark and Hadoop User Group. Previously, he spent most of his industry career at IBM in Rochester, MN. Brad has degrees in Computer and Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana and a doctorate in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Interviewer: Rajib Bahar

Agenda:

- You are one of the organizers of TC Spark & Hadoop user group. What motivated you to start it? When did it start? We would love to hear about it's history.

- In your role as Director of "Center of Excellence for Big Data" in the Graduate Programs at the University of St. Thomas, how do you make sure your program is actually relevant to the industry? In early 2000, computer science curriculum were generally behind from industry trend. Do you find your program having similar struggle?

- What is the difference between your Data Science Certificate & Master of Data Science program?

- Is your Big Data curriculum technology agnostic? I am just wondering... Do they employ only open source framework or both commercial and open source?

- How many Big Data and Data Science experts have graduated from University of St Thomas's program?

- Now, back to TC Spark & Hadoop User group... What has been the most interesting presentation?

- How can we get connected with you online or social media?

Music: www.freesfx.co.uk

Constantine Kokkinos currently works as a DevOps DBA with a deep focus on performance tuning TSQL; nonetheless his first love will always be the *nix ecosystem.

His primary side hustle is the dbatools project where he works on bug fixing, git support, testing, and helping newcomers jump start their contributions, wherever they need help.

Interviewer: Rajib Bahar, Shabnam Khan

Agenda:

- You're presenting this year at PASS precon. PASS stands for "Professional Association of SQL Server". It must be really exciting to present there. Is this the first time you're presenting there or have you done it before? Tell us more about the topic you're presenting, the venue, and culture over there...

- PowerShell reminds me of the unix Bash Shell, Korn shell during the years in university. In the early years, open source and commercial platforms would be diametrically opposed to each other. However, the current trend appears to be that commercial platforms are adopting more open source projects and vice versa. Is that fair to say? What has been your experience with this regard.

- Can you break down the evolution of various iteration of PowerShell in SQL Server? Which releases brought about the most significant changes?

- To those of us who are unaware of the DBA role, DBA is some one who administers one or more Databases or Servers or DataCenters. Let's say I am a DBA who is afraid of command prompt or powershell. Teach me some basics...

- You are involved with community driven open source project called DBATools? What can you do with it? How did you get involved? Any new updates coming out from that team?

- Where do you blog or tweet? How can our listeners connect with you?

Music: www.freesfx.co.uk

Michael is a Data Solution Architect at Microsoft, where he works on Machine Learning, Big Data and Blockchain applications on the Azure platform. Prior to joining Microsoft, Michael worked at Silver Bay, designing and optimizing geographical and financial statistical analysis solutions (mostly regression analysis and clustering). Before that, he was a database architect and then the lead systems architect of a multi-tenant cloud-based Internet-of-Things application for LogicPD, in Minneapolis.

Interviewer: Rajib Bahar, Shabnam Khan

Music: www.freesfx.co.uk

Andy Leonard is a Data Philosopher at Enterprise Data & Analytics, a Biml (Business Intelligence Markup Language) developer and BimlHero, SSIS architect, consultant, and trainer. He created and maintains the DILM (Data Integration Lifecycle Management) Suite that includes tools and utilities for managing SSIS in the enterprise. Andy is an avid blogger and has co-authored several books on SSIS, ETL, and database technology.

Interviewer: Rajib Bahar

Music: www.freesfx.co.uk

Robert is the Director of Business Development for Beyond Impact a Minneapolis based consulting company focused on Cloud, Data, Security. Robert is also the founder of the local Power BI Meetup, which meets monthly. He resides in Eagan, MN with his wife and three young sons. Robert is an avid baseball fan and craft-beer enthusiast.

Interviewer: Rajib Bahar

Music: www.freesfx.co.uk

David joined AllSight in 2016 to help establish it as the leader in Customer Intelligence Management. He has 18 years of experience in enterprise software and has launched and grown successful product businesses within startups and large software vendors. David led product management at DWL and was instrumental in the formation of the Customer Data Integration (MDM) market, and later the MDM market after acquisition by IBM. Prior to joining AllSight, David led product management and marketing at IBM Big Data & Analytics, where he launched the MDM market, IBM’s big data platform, and it’s self-service data platform. David has an MBA from Schulich School of Business.

Interviewer: Rajib Bahar

Music: www.freesfx.co.uk