Vancouver Institute for Visual Analytics
Get Involved with the Andrew Wade Visual Analytics Challenge Program!
In today’s digitized world, massive amounts of data are being collected every day – how do we make sense of and leverage the insights within so much data? The AW VA Challenge Program provides an opportunity for students to solve real-world data problems through the exciting new field of Visual Analytics. Visual Analytics leverages our powerful visual system in combination with interactive visual interfaces and automatic data processing, in order to explore, make sense of, and predict trends in data. It is a highly interdisciplinary field that brings together Computer Science, Psychology, HCI, Social Science, Statistics, Linguistics and Visual Design. Challenge students will learn about VA and the corresponding fields by applying Visual Analytics to different real-world domains like Healthcare, Aviation Safety, Transportation, and Social Media. No previous experience in VA, or in the fields mentioned above, is necessary to get involved. All that is required is a motivation to learn new things and tackle real-world problems.
The Challenge Program is based at UBC/SFU and students can get involved through volunteering, directed studies courses, internships with industry partners, or just by attending our regular meetings to learn what is happening. If you have questions or want to learn more about VA or the Challenge, please contact the manager, Kyle, at challenge@viva-viva.ca. For more information on specific Andrew Wade VA Challenge projects, please visit https://sites.google.com/site/challengeva/.
The Challenge program is the student-focused branch of VIVA (www.viva-viva.ca).
The Cognitive Systems Society is a student-run organization, supporting students in the COGS program, and those with an interest in COGS-related fields such as neuroscience, artificial intelligence, human-computer interfaces, and robotics. We hold a wide range of fun events, including our popular licensed events (including the Welcome back BBQ, Robot Party, and Masters of Debate), and academic events (study sessions, Meet The Profs). We also have a lab space with a patio in the basement of the Friedman building if you ever want to study or just relax.
Volunteering for the CSS is a great way to meet fellow COGS students, contribute to lively campus life, and learn valuable leadership skills. Our student executive, which organizes events and promotes everything COGS, is elected every spring. However, if you prefer a looser commitment we’re always looking for fresh faces to help out at events and such. If you’re interested in seeing what we’re all about, join us for a drink at our weekly meetings during the school year, held at the Gallery Lounge (see website for times).
Contact: ubccogs@gmail.com
Research Opportunities
A hallmark of the Cognitive Systems program at UBC is the hands-on experience in research labs that is available to undergraduate students. In fact, it is one of the few programs with a research component in the degree requirements. As such, COGS undergrads are encouraged as early as possible to find a lab they find interesting and get involved with real-world University research! Not only is it a fun alternative to classroom learning, but it’s also a great way to get a feel for graduate school life.
Some labs that are associated with Cognitive Systems are:
Psychophysics and Cognitive Neuroscience Lab
Brain and Attention Research Lab
Media and Graphics Interdisciplinary Centre
Positions
Click on the following links to download job announcements and application instructions for current positions in Cognitive Systems.
