South Australia has positioned itself as a national data leader with the opening of a new $92 million Data to Decisions Cooperative Research Centre at Technology Park Adelaide.
Minister for Defence Industries Martin Hamilton-Smith said the facility will investigate ‘big data’ issues for Defence and National Security agencies over the next five years.
“The Centre strengthens South Australia’s position as a national hub for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, establishing us as a significant international big data player.
“It will play a critical role in helping national security agencies develop capabilities to address online terrorism and crime, by making critical decisions faster and more accurately.
“By processing and refining the world’s data to extract useful intelligence, the Centre will help find needles in a rapidly-growing data haystack.
“The Centre will bring together Australia’s best research organisations as well as the skills and capabilities of industry participants,” said Mr Hamilton Smith.
The South Australian-led bid was successful in this year’s round of Commonwealth Government CRC funding, and is backed by $92 million cash and in-kind support from a number of companies, academic institutions and governments.
The State is contributing $0.6 million over three years to the Cooperative Research Centre via the Premier’s Research and Industry Fund.
Dr Sanjay Mazumdar, Data to Decisions Cooperative Research Centre, Chief Executive Officer said the Centre will lead pioneering, transformational big data research and apply high-performance analytics. This can make the difference between predicting a threat and reacting to a catastrophic aftermath.”
“Every day, society creates 2.5 quintillion bytes of data from disparate sources such as satellite imagery, social media, digital pictures, videos and voice recordings. This ‘big data’ cannot be efficiently analysed using traditional data processing methods.
“Over five years the centre will employ around 40 full-time staff, support 48 PhD students and produce more than 1000 data scientists.
Mr Hamilton-Smith will speak at the official launch of the Data to Decisions Cooperative Research Centre at PwC, Level 11, 70 Franklin Street, Adelaide at 4pm.