Data Institute for Societal Challenges - DISC

📢 Join Us for the Next DISC Speaker Series Presentation!
We are excited to welcome Dr. Wei-Hsuan “Jenny” Lo Ciganic as our next distinguished speaker.
Dr. Lo-Ciganic is a Professor of Medicine with tenure at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, specializing in pharmacoepidemiology. Her work focuses on improving drug safety, medication adherence, and prescribing quality—particularly among older adults and Medicaid beneficiaries.
She brings extensive expertise in advanced analytics, including machine learning and group-based trajectory modeling, applied to large healthcare datasets. Since 2015, she has served as PI or Co-I on more than 20 extramurally funded grants and contracts.
Currently, Dr. Lo-Ciganic is:
⭐ PI of the R01 study “DEMONSTRATE” (Machine-Learning Opioid Prediction & Risk-Stratification E-Platform)
⭐ A lead investigator on the R01 study “mPROVEN” (Machine-Learning Prediction & Reducing Overdoses with EHR Nudges)
Both studies are funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
She has authored 125+ peer‑reviewed publications (h-index: 29) and has a strong record of mentoring PharmD, MS, and PhD students, postdoctoral fellows, residents, and junior faculty.

📅 When: Wednesday, April 8, 2026
🕑 Time: 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
📍 Where: Rainbolt Auditorium, Samis Center
1200 Children’s Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73104
🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/gsYHCW43

Dear Data Science Community,
As the year comes to an end, we want to extend our sincere appreciation for your involvement and continued engagement with DISC. Your participation in our events, workshops, and collaborative projects has played a vital role in strengthening the data science ecosystem at OU and beyond.

This year has been full of exciting opportunities—from new research initiatives and interdisciplinary partnerships to the growth of our programs and community. None of this would be possible without your dedication and willingness to learn and innovate alongside us.

As we look toward the new year, we are committed to building on this momentum and creating even more opportunities for you to connect, collaborate, and grow. We hope you will continue to be an active part of the DISC community.

Wishing you and your loved ones a restful holiday season.

Warm regards,

Mike

📢 You're Invited!
Join us for the OU AI Symposium: From Foundations to Future — a full-day event exploring the impact and future of artificial intelligence at OU.

🗓️ Date: Friday, September 26, 2025
🕣 Time: 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM
📍 Location: Molly Shi Boren Ballroom, Oklahoma Memorial Union, 900 Asp Ave, Norman, OK

🔍 Highlights Include:

Keynote by OU’s new Chief AI Officer
AI Working Group Reports
Panel Discussions & Breakout Sessions
Networking Opportunities
Registration is required! https://qualtrics.ou.edu/jfe/form/SV_9Brsup86pwk4rIi

📌 Questions? Contact:
Luke Pemberton – [email protected]
Jennifer Panicci – [email protected]

Let’s shape the future together. See you there! 🚀

🎉 Congratulations to Dr. Erin Maher!

The Data Institute for Societal Challenges is proud to celebrate our Senior Associate Director and Professor in the Department of Sociology, Dr. Erin Maher, on her recent election to the American Sociological Association!

Dr. Maher has been elected as a Council Member of the ASA’s Practice and Public Sociology Section, and has also been appointed as a 2025–26 Faculty Fellow for Housing and Residential Life.

We’re thrilled to see her continued leadership and impact in the field of sociology and beyond. 👏

📢 FY25: A Year of Data-Driven Impact at DISC!

As we wrap up another incredible year at the Data Institute for Societal Challenges (DISC), we’re proud to share the milestones that made FY25 unforgettable. From innovative student research to global partnerships, our community powered bold discoveries at the intersection of data science and real-world change.

✨ Highlights from this year:

💸 $187,730 in seed funding awarded to 24 research teams

🌐 Partnerships with KAIST & Sejong University to advance global collaboration

🧠 Launched 5 AI working groups + 20 OU AI pilot projects across 29 departments

📈 $143M in external proposals submitted, $10.9M in funding secured

🎓 Over 462 members driving societal solutions through data innovation

We’re not just building research—we’re building a movement. Huge thanks to our students, faculty, staff, and affiliates for making DISC a dynamic force for good.

🚀 Looking ahead to FY26, we’ll expand funding, deepen industry partnerships, and continue pushing the boundaries of AI, ML, and transdisciplinary research.

📄 Read the full Year-End Report:https://www.ou.edu/content/dam/disc/docs/DISC%20Final%20FY%2025%20EOY.pdf

🔗 Learn more about DISC: https://www.ou.edu/disc

www.ou.edu

🚀 Exciting News from the University of Oklahoma! 🤖

We're thrilled to announce the launch of our brand-new AI website — your go-to hub for all things artificial intelligence at OU! 🎓✨

🔗 Visit now: https://ou.edu/ai

Whether you're a student, faculty member, researcher, or just curious about the future of AI, this site is packed with resources, events, research highlights, and opportunities to get involved.

Let’s shape the future together — the AI way! 💡💻

AI The University of Oklahoma