Contemporary Analysis (CAN) launched its inaugural CANalytics Conference on May 15 at the Paxton Ballroom in Omaha. The data science conference offered industry insights and networking opportunities for those interested in the field. The event also celebrated the region’s data science community through recognizing local leaders and honoring graduates of the Omaha Data Science Academy (ODSA). 

CAN is an Omaha-based business consulting firm that specializes in data-focused topics like analytics and data management. It is also the parent company for the ODSA, a nonprofit organization that provides training, upskilling and job-specific certifications to grow the region’s data science talent. The agenda for CANalytics included celebrating CAN’s 16th anniversary and ODSA’s 9th anniversary. 

Unlike other community events that cover a range of overlapping technology and business subjects, such as Infotec and the Hustle Conference, CAN CEO Nate Watson said he wanted CANalytics to be specifically centered on data roles and to encourage “very technical” conversations related to such professions. 

“AI has really spurred the movement that started pre-COVID, which is that data has become the thing that is most valuable inside of companies,” Watson said. 

As the data science field has emerged over the last few years, Watson said the day’s selection of speakers was all about answering questions on how to build, store, manage, protect and use data strategically.

Takeaways and speaker highlights

Zach Mellender, business systems and analytics manager at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, opened the conference speaking about his own experience working with data in a setting that may not typically be associated with tech and software innovations.

At the zoo, Mellender said AI and other data applications contribute to the organization’s daily operations, research and conservation efforts. Use cases ranged from calculating how many visitors came to special events to using computer vision to track elephant sleeping patterns. The tools enable new research possibilities — especially for otherwise tedious tasks — and new collaboration possibilities between zoos by sharing data discoveries with one another.  

Mellender posed three questions for people to consider when implementing AI and other solutions: 

• How do we minimize inefficiencies?
• How can we scale this?
• How do we offer something new?

Preston Badeer, founder of Visual Data Products, led a presentation on the importance of data management in the age of AI and provided tips that businesses and organizations should consider before falling for hype.

As AI improves and incorporates all freely accessible sources of data, Badeer said there will be a desire and increase in value for all unique data owned privately by organizations. He said he predicts a future where AI models can be more specialized for customized data sets and encouraged businesses to build their own AI solutions whenever possible. Badeer warned against ignoring updates to third-party software terms of agreement as companies may attempt to gain access to additional information. 

Badeer said he advised leaders to talk to their IT teams about cybersecurity, to build safe spaces where employees can share and experiment with new tools so that no one leaks private information unknowingly and to create their own evaluation system to determine if a solution is truly worth the costs. 

Instead of focusing on replacing the weakest link of a team with AI, Badeer said employers should strategize AI implementation around improving workflows that will strengthen their strongest employees. As AI is still not perfect and requires learning and debatable logic pathways to perform a desired function, Badeer said companies should prioritize celebrating their employees and giving them the tools that will improve their performances. 

The final presenter was Abby Eccher-Young, chief information security and privacy officer for the state of Nebraska. She spoke on considerations that team leaders should make when integrating significant technology innovations. 

When arriving at these “collision points” of legacy systems and tech advancements, Eccher-Young said communication is key for collaborating and building trust with stakeholders and team members. By asking the right questions around requirements, limitations and expectations, she said individuals can prepare and adapt for uncertainties such as cyberattacks or new, disruptive technologies.

Celebrating the community: Data Scientist of the Year

To close the conference before evening festivities, Watson, CAN CEO, announced the winner of the Gordon T. Summers Data Scientist of the Year award — which recognizes a member of the local data science community who supports the development of talent and the industry in the region. This year’s winner was Thomas Cleberg, staff machine learning engineer at Shopify. 

Cleberg said the recognition from this award only further validated his satisfaction with the work he does. Describing data visualisation and analytics as a “superpower,” he said data science enables humans to discover and use information that was once unavailable to do things that could “change lives.”

In order for Omaha to stay ahead of these advancements and tools — as well as fight brain drain — Cleberg encouraged local companies to enable young talent to tackle complex projects and work with advanced technologies.

“That means providing opportunities for people to do things that are going to challenge them all the way to the edge of what humans are capable of,” Cleberg said. 

Young people, he said, likely already are messing around with these tools, but they will need to tap into the “worldwide network” of thinkers and users in order to stay relevant in the competitive field.