HPC in the News

 

Registration for XSEDE14 Now Open
July 13-18, 2014 – Atlanta, Georgia

Registration is now open for XSEDE14, the annual conference that brings together the extended community of individuals interested in advancing research cyberinfrastructure and integrated digital services for the benefit of science and society. XSEDE14 will take place at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis and will showcase the discoveries, innovations, challenges and achievements of those who utilize and support XSEDE resources and services, as well as other digital resources and services throughout the world. The theme of XSEDE14 is “Engaging Communities,” to engage both traditional users of digital resources and people who have not traditionally used digital resources but would benefit from their usage. For more information and to register, please visit https://www.xsede.org/web/conference/xsede14.

New Networking Group: Women in HPC

The launch of the Women in High Performance Computing (WiHPC) network will include talks on the obstacles facing women in HPC and how to broaden participation. The launch will provide an opportunity for women working in HPC to network with other women and to shape the future of the new WiHPC network. The day will conclude with a discussion on how the network can encourage women to consider and maintain a career in HPC and a wine reception. You can follow @women_in_hpc on Twitter or just sign up to join at

SDSC offers Virtual Data Intensive Summer School
June 30 – July 2, 2014  -- La Jolla, California
Application Deadline – May 30, 3014

The San Diego Supercomputer Center will be one of 21 sites across the country hosting the Virtual Data Intensive Summer School. It is intended for participants who are local to San Diego or one of the other 20 sites that will be linked using videoconferencing technology. The Data Intensive Summer School focuses on the skills needed to manage, process and gain insight from large amounts of data. It is targeted at researchers from the physical, biological, economic and social sciences that are beginning to drown in data. We will cover the nuts and bolts of data intensive computing, common tools and software, predictive analytics algorithms, data management and non-relational database models. Given the short duration of the summer school, the emphasis will be on providing a solid foundation that the attendees can use as a starting point for advanced topics of particular relevance to their work.  Summer School details: http://www.vscse.org/summerschool/2014/index.html Registration: https://portal.xsede.org/course-calendar

SDSC Summer Institute 2014: HPC Meets Big Data
August 4–8, 2014 – La Jolla, California

HPC Meets Big Data is the theme of SDSC’s Summer Institute in 2014. SDSC Summer Institute will deploy a flexible format designed to help attendees get the most out of their week.  The first half will consist of plenary sessions covering the skills that are considered essential for anyone who works with big data. Topics include data management, running jobs on SDSC resources, reproducibility, database systems, characteristics of big data, techniques for turning data into knowledge, software version control and making effective use of hardware.  Followed by a series of parallel sessions that allow attendees to dive deeper into specialized material that is relevant to their research projects, with the exact choice of topics will be based on feedback collected during registration. The Summer Institute is targeted to individuals interested in data science and computational science—especially current and potential users of SDSC's data-intensive resources. Summer Institute details or to APPLY: http://www.sdsc.edu/Events/summerinstitute/.

 Microsoft, Google, Other Tech Giants Unite to Prevent Next Heartbleed
The Wall Street Journal

Microsoft, Google, and other tech giants have committed to contribute more than $3 million to the Core Infrastructure Initiative, which was launched to improve open source software. The disclosure of the Heartbleed bug in the OpenSSL encryption tool stimulated recruitment for the initiative, which Linux Foundation executive director Jim Zemlin says should reduce the risk of similar bugs cropping up. "We have to provide resources in a way that allows [open source developers] to operate the way they have been operating, in a way that allows them to do it full time without having to worry about their next meal," he notes. The initiative will study a wide swath of open source efforts and determine which ones could receive significant funding, with OpenSSL being the first project under consideration, according to the Linux Foundation. To read further, please visit http://blogs.wsj.com/cio/2014/04/24/microsoft-google-other-tech-giants-unite-to-prevent-next-heartbleed/.

More Women in IT Would Generate 2.6B Pounds for UK Economy
Computerworld UK

A recent Nominet report found that increasing the number of women working in the United Kingdom's information technology (IT) sector could generate an extra 2.6 billion British pounds a year for the economy. Women currently make up less than 20 percent of the IT workforce, and based on current trends, the IT gender gap is set to widen over the coming years. The report, which polled IT decision makers in UK-based businesses, found that 76 percent believe they lack suitably skilled staff in IT, and of these, 58 percent say this negatively affects productivity levels, estimating on average that productivity levels are 33 percent lower as a result. The imbalance remains at the university level, with women accounting for just 19 percent of students taking computer science degrees. To read further, please visit http://www.cio.co.uk/news/workforce-development/more-women-in-it-would-generate-26bn-for-uk-economy/?olo=email&no1x1.

NIST to Drop Crypto Algorithm From Guidance

The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has issued a draft of amended guidance that drops a cryptographic algorithm the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) is thought to have used to bypass encryption that protects much of global commerce, banking systems, medical records, and online communications. The action comes after the cryptographic community expressed outrage over NSA's exploitation of a deterministic random bit generator (DRBG) to circumvent encryption by using guidance-specified parameters. They warn this could subsequently enable hackers to predict the secret cryptographic keys that form the foundation for the guarantees provided in the special publication. NIST recommends users and implementers switch to one of three other sanctioned DRBGs specified in the guidance. Cryptography expert Bruce Schneier says this is the right action for NIST to take to repair its credibility, even though it was unaware of NSA's algorithm tampering. To read further, please visit http://www.govinfosecurity.com/nist-to-drop-crypto-algorithm-from-guidance-a-6770.

 

HPC Call for Participation

 

ICNC-FSKD 2014 2nd Round Submissions
August 19-21, 2014 - Xiamen, China
Submission Deadline – May 16, 2014

We cordially invite you to submit a paper to the upcoming 10th International Conference on Natural Computation (ICNC 2014) and the 11th International Conference on Fuzzy Systems and Knowledge Discovery (FSKD 2014), to be jointly held in August. To promote international participation of researchers from outside the country/region where the conference is held (i.e., China’s mainland), researchers outside of China’s mainland are encouraged to propose invited sessions. An honorarium of US-D400 will be enjoyed by the organizer(s) for each completed (with at least 6 registered papers) invited session. The first author of each paper in an invited session must not be affiliated with an organization in China’s mainland. "(Invited Paper)" may be added below the title of each paper in the invited sessions. Invited session organizers will solicit submissions, conduct reviews and recommend accept/reject decisions on the submitted papers. Each invited session proposal should include: (1) the name, bio, and contact information of each organizer of the invited session; (2) the title and a short synopsis of the invited session. Please send your proposal to icnc-fskd@xmu.edu.cn. For more information, please visit the conference web page http://icnc-fskd.xmu.edu.cn/ If you have any questions after visiting the conference web page, please email the secretariat at icnc-fskd@xmu.edu.cn.

 

Upcoming Conferences, Workshops and Webinars

 

2014 National Education Conference
May 6-8, 2014 – Portland, Oregon

The conference will take place at the Hilton Portland & Executive Tower and the Oregon Convention Center. The Doubletree by Hilton Portland will also support the meeting. Attendees should review this website in its entirety to find out more about the exciting education, resources, and networking opportunities presented by the conference. For more information, please visit http://www.sgmp.org/nec2014/registration/attendee.cfm. .

 

Research Features From Across the Country and Around the World

 

Maverick at TACC Tackles Big-Scale Data Visualization (Interview – Part 1) (video)

TACC (The Texas Advanced Computer Center) at the University of Texas at Austin, has just deployed Maverick, a unique, powerful, high performance visualization and data analytics resource for the open science and engineering community.  To view the video, please visit http://www.vizworld.com/2014/04/maverick-at-tacc-tackles-big-scale-data-visualization-interview-part-1/#sthash.dsKqpGPm.d59c2A0H.dpuf.

Digital Fabrication Using Virtual Reality at Indiana University

Interior designers strive to make everyday spaces effective for the kinds of activities they support. Those who can incorporate the way people experience a given space gain an edge in mapping design to experience. IU Professor Jon Racek worked with AVL staff to incorporate the Oculus Rift virtual reality system into the design toolset for his class 3D Modeling and Design for Digital Fabrication (N201). Students designed 3D sculptures to be physically realized through a CNC router fabrication process. In so doing, they experienced the power of virtual reality as a design tool for its ability to convey real-world scale and natural human perception. Understanding and appreciating the role of advanced virtual reality technology in interior design will give students a competitive advantage when they enter the marketplace. For more information, please visit http://pti.iu.edu/research/scholarly-highlights/articles/3d-modeling-digital-fabrication.php.

 

Educator News and Opportunities
 

Why App Design Is Replacing Computer Science in Public Schools
Crosscut.com

Washington state has launched the Youth Apps Challenge, which rallies teams of students to submit either a detailed pitch for an app idea or a functional tablet or smartphone app. Each entry will be reviewed by tech industry experts, and winners will be selected in both technical and general categories. The contest is organized by the Technology Alliance, a state nonprofit that aims to boost science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. The Technology Alliance also has developed a curriculum, called Apps for Good, which puts a youth-friendly spin on the basics of inventing, building, and launching a smartphone or tablet app. "Apps have this stronger appeal, particularly to students who wouldn't usually think of programming," says Garfield High School computer science teacher Earl Bergquist. "There are creative and entrepreneurial aspects to it. That can bring in students who don't have a technical inkling yet."  To read further, please visit http://crosscut.com/2014/04/21/technology/119635/student-app-design-curriculum-washington-developer/.

Op/Ed: A Strong Education for a Strong Economy
Two industry experts say we must reconsider how we prepare future generations for their careers. 

In January, leaders in science, technology, education and math (STEM) gathered in our nation’s capital for the Diplomatic Courier’s “The World in 2050,” a global summit addressing the future of jobs in these fields. Teach For America was among those leaders and, along with Diplomatic Courier, we considered our global STEM future.  We confronted a difficult reality: Not all nations are equally preparing their youth with the skills they’ll need to compete in the 21st century. This poses a risk to our future—some economies will flourish while others flounder. Young Americans will be competing for fulfilling, stable jobs in STEM fields against a cadre of youth in China and India who may be better prepared to fill them. Globally, we must reconsider how we prepare future generations for their careers. To read further, please visit http://www.usnews.com/news/stem-solutions/articles/2014/02/13/op-ed-a-strong-education-for-a-strong-economy.

New Blog Series: Getting to the “Core of the Matter”

 

The Alliance for Excellent Education (the Alliance) launched a new blog entitled “Core of the Matter,” a new series devoted to the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and struggling students (#CoreMatters). To start a dialogue, the Alliance will publish a new blog post on the first and third Tuesday of every month addressing issues related to implementation of the CCSS. The posts will alternate between those written by Alliance staff and guest bloggers. On May 20, the first guest blogger will be Chris Edley, a noted legal scholar who is committed to educational equality and excellence, and former dean of UC Berkeley School of Law; co-chair of the congressionally chartered National Committee on Education Equity and Excellence, and an Alliance for Excellent Education board member. Additional guest bloggers will include Linda Darling-Hammond and Kenji Hakuta, renowned professors at Stanford University; Margarita Calderon, professor emerita at Johns Hopkins University; and Ahniwake Rose, executive director of the National Indian Education Association. If you are interested in receiving this new blog, please email equity@all4ed.org and you will receive an email notification when a new blog post in the series is published.000000z7               

Google Announces Incentive Funding for Teachers

Google wants public high school students, especially girls, to discover the magic of coding. When a public high school teacher helps 4 or more female students complete an introduction to computer science course, the teacher will earn a $500 classroom funding credit to spend on whichever resources your students most need. For more information, please visit https://www.khanacademy.org/donors-choose?tgroup=r&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=DonorsChoose%20Classroom%20reward&utm_campaign=DonorsChoose%20Announcement%20041814%20Ph2%20Classroom%20funds.

Vision Meets Reality, Common Core In Action

The Common Core State Standards have been reshaping the American education landscape for four years, leaving their mark on curriculum and instruction, professional development, teacher evaluation, the business of publishing, and the way tests are designed. In this special report, Education Week explores how the initial vision for the standards—and for aligned assessments—is now bumping up against reality in states, school districts, and local communities. To read further, please visit http://www.edweek.org/ew/collections/common-core-in-action-report-2014/index.html?intc=EW-CC0414-EML.

Shortage of Female STEM Workers Hurts Tech Industry

The low number of women working in computer science isn't just a concern for tech companies worried about the image problem of a male-dominated workforce. It's also a business challenge. So argues Wendy Hawkins, executive director of the Intel Foundation, the educational arm of Intel, where she also serves as director of philanthropy. At the opening day of a conference on promoting the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, Hawkins explained that Intel, like other Silicon Valley and high-tech firms, has "special and specific needs" in the areas of computer science and computer engineering. Those two subsets of the STEM family are something of an anomaly, marked by a widening gender gap while in other technical fields the ranks of women in the workforce have been on the rise. To read further, please visit http://www.cio.com/article/751995/Shortage_of_Female_STEM_Workers_Hurts_Tech_Industry.

Alice 3.0 Summer Workshop for Educators
July 27- July 31, 2014 -  Hilton Garden Hotel, Pittsburgh University Place, Pittsburgh, PA

Some of you may have been wondering about Alice 3.0 and how it is similar to or different from Alice 2.x. Two ways in which Alice 3.0 differs from 2.0 are, 1) Alice 3.0 was meant to take greater advantage of the object-oriented nature of the Java development environment, and 2) it is meant to actually teach the Java programming language. Here is a chance to hear from the experts this summer at the original 'home' of the Alice developers in Pittsburgh, Carnegie-Mellon University. For more information and to register, please visit  https://web.campusservices.cmu.edu/conferences/registration.taf?ID=2014alice3.

Student Engagement and Opportunities

 

High School Students Are All About Computers but Get Little Instruction in Computer Science
The Washington Post

There is a significant gap between U.S. high school students' exposure to computer science and their use of computers and technology, and this gap is leading to a dearth of qualified professionals in technology and other fields. "People are realizing these are the skill sets that are going to lead to 21st-century jobs," says Microsoft executive Dan Kasun. Factors in the lack of computer science study in many schools include a shortfall of computer science teachers and students' perception of the subject as dull or intimidating. Some Washington, D.C.-area school districts are taking the initiative to address this disparity by urging more students, especially girls and minorities, to enroll in computer science courses. "We really believe the skills they will get from coding will help them in whatever career they choose," says Charles County superintendent Kimberly Hill. To read further, please visit http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/high-school-students-are-all-about-computers-but-get-little-instruction-in-computer-science/2014/04/23/13979eda-c185-11e3-bcec-b71ee10e9bc3_story.html?hpid=z3.

TED Talks by Women in Computer Science (21 videos)

A collection of TED talks by women with computer science degrees - one of the hottest career paths out there! Make some popcorn and get started by visiting https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cmA_chUzeaLY-ABcc6gEypDHBb4Od8x.

Printing Your Own Robot National Science foundation CS Bits & Bytes You’ve seen robots engaged in activities from manufacturing cars to playing soccer. What would you do if you could make your own robot? Now there are ways to make robots using plastic film sheets and an ink jet printer! That’s right, you can make a 3-D robot from a 2-D printer!. A robotic system is generally composed of a chassis that forms the structure or body of the robot, a processor to handle onboard programming and systems processing, motor controllers that take signals from the processor and direct motors to respond appropriately, as well as input systems such as sensors that provide information about the environment back to the processor. A new method developed by researchers funded by the National Science Foundation enable an inkjet printer to print the basic design of a robot onto plastic sheets. A copper sheet is added to the plastic one, and the circuit to control the device is printed by the ink jet printer. The circuit is embedded into the plastic, and these sheets are then cut and folded into the shape of the robot. Processors, motors, and sensors are attached, and the robot is ready to perform its tasks. This is like origami for techies—with sensors and motors attached. For the full issue with more information, activities and links, visit http://nsf.gov/cise/csbytes/newsletter/vol3/pdf/csbb-vol3-i3.pdf..

Kahn Academy, in Collaboration with MIT, Aims to Fuel K-12 Student Interest in Engineering and Science (video)

MIT has launched an initiative encouraging its students to produce short videos teaching basic concepts in science and engineering. The videos — aimed at younger students, in grades from kindergarten through high school — will be accessible through a dedicated MIT website and YouTube channel. A subset of the videos will also be available on Khan Academy, a popular not-for-profit educational site founded by an MIT alumnus. “We wanted to help inspire young people to change the world through engineering and science, and realized that the 10,000 superstar students we have at MIT are uniquely positioned to do that,” says Ian A. Waitz, dean of the School of Engineering and the Jerome C. Hunsaker Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics. “Our students have responded with all the energy and enthusiasm we knew they would. We worked with them to design the program, and the results are fantastic.” For more information, please visit http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2012/k-12-education-video-initiative-0425.

Mystery Class Seasons Challenge! Free Global Game of Hide-and-Seek Unlocks the Reasons for Seasons

Teachers and students in K-12 classrooms are invited to participate in Journey North's "Mystery Class" activity, now in its 16th year. In this free Internet-based global game of hide-and-seek, students search to uncover the secret locations of the ten "mystery" sites hiding around the Earth. To guide the investigation, they track changes in day length at the mystery sites and at their own hometown, and use other interdisciplinary "clues" along the way. As they take this inspiring journey, students unlock the essential questions behind the reasons for seasons and the dramatic changes in day length that result. For more information, please visit http://www.learner.org/jnorth/mclass/.

Message from Khan Academy - You Got Us to 2 Billion

Together we’ve answered 2 BILLION math problems on Khan Academy. "Billion," with a "B!" Way to go, team! Now we're thinking, "Could we go even faster?" So, a challenge for you: Can you help get us to 10 BILLION by this time next year? How many problems would each of our 13 million students need to do per week to answer 8 billion more problems within the next year? (Round to the nearest whole number, and assume the number of students doesn't grow, though we're sure hoping it does!). To try a problem, please visit https://www.khanacademy.org/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Stuff%20you%20might%20like%20After%20Test%20Cohort%20Made&utm_campaign=Two%20Billion%20announcement%20after%20test%20cohort%20made%20042614&utm_content=Final.

NASA MUREP Scholarship Funding for Undergraduate MSI Students
Application Deadline – May 16, 2014

The NASA Office of Education is accepting applications for MUREP  cholars. The MUREPScholarship is a competitive scholarship opportunity that focuses on underserved and underrepresented students in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines and students attending Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), thereby addressing the critical shortage of qualified STEM professionals that the nation is facing. Underserved and underrepresented STEM groups include but are not limited to women, individuals with disabilities, and individuals with military service.  MSIs include Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs) as recognized by the Department of Education.  Eligible students include rising freshman (high school graduating seniors or GED recipients not yet enrolled in college), sophomores and juniors, at the undergraduate level, who will complete their undergraduate degree in Spring 2016 or later and Minority Serving Institution community college students with at least two years remaining at the community college.  The goal is to address the agency's mission-specific workforce needs and target areas of national need in minority STEM representation. The scholarship includes up to a $9,000 academic scholarship, not to exceed 75% of verified tuition, and a $6,000 stipend for a required Summer 2015 ten-week internship at a NASAcenter. The internship provides scholars with a unique NASA research experience and preparation for global competitiveness.   MUREP Scholarships cannot be concurrently accepted or combined with another US Government Federal scholarship or funding, irrespective of the scholar's status.  Applications should be submitted through the NASA One Stop Shopping Initiative at intern.nasa.gov .  Applicants should be sure to select “scholarship” for the type of application.

Google Names Participants for 2014 Summer of Code Program
Program Begins – May 19, 2014
Program Ends – August 25, 2015

The 10th Annual Google Summer of Code program will involve 1,307 students working with 190 mentoring organizations to create open source code that will be shared with the world. To date, the program has included more than 8,500 college and university students from more than 100 countries who have created more than 50 million lines of code. The participating students will now enter the community bonding period during which they will become familiar with their mentors and prepare for the program, says the Google Open Source Programs Office's Carol Smith. "While the majority of past student participants were enrolled in university or college computer science and computer engineering programs, Google Summer of Coders come from a wide variety of educational backgrounds and degree programs, from computational biology to mining engineering," according to the program's website. To read further, please visit http://www.eweek.com/it-management/google-names-participants-for-2014-summer-of-code-program.html.

Code Camp Empowers High School Girls With Computer Science Education
Stanford Daily

The Stanford University Computer Science Department's Girls Teach Girls To Code (GTGTC) program recently hosted more than 200 high school girls on campus for a "Code Camp" designed to introduce them to the various real-life applications of computer science. GTGTC also provides smaller-scale events throughout the academic year, including company tours and visits to the Computer History Museum. GTGTC's popularity has led to plans for expansion, including trying to host Code Camp biannually as opposed to just once a year. "In the far future, we're hoping that this is an organization with chapters in different colleges," says GTGTC founder and coordinator Heidi Wang. "You can imagine if it was offered to girls across the nation and the world, how many girls we could reach and the impact we could make." The program aims to show high school girls that computer science is fun and flexible, says GTGTC coordinator Jessie Duan. To read further, please visit http://www.stanforddaily.com/2014/04/22/code-camp-empowers-high-school-girls-with-computer-science-education/.

Faculty News and Opportunities

 

NSF CFP: Wireless Innovation between Finland and the US (WiFiUS)
Full Proposals Due = August 30, 2014

In 2011, the National Science Foundation (NSF), Tekes - the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation, and the Academy of Finland jointly funded the Wireless Innovation between Finland and US (WiFiUS) SAVI (Science Across Virtual Institutes) to help build long-term research and education collaborations between the two world leaders of wireless networking. Given the success of the WiFiUS SAVI, NSF, Tekes, and the Academy of Finland have agreed to embark on a collaborative research program to enlarge the SAVI effort and address compelling research challenges on novel frameworks, architectures, protocols, methodologies and tools for the design and analysis of robust and highly dependable wireless networks, including cognitive radio networks. To read further, please visit In 2011, the National Science Foundation (NSF), Tekes - the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation, and the Academy of Finland jointly funded the Wireless Innovation between Finland and US (WiFiUS) SAVI (Science Across Virtual Institutes) to help build long-term research and education collaborations between the two world leaders of wireless networking. To read further, please visit http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2014/nsf14563/nsf14563.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_27&WT.mc_ev=click.

 

The Lighter Side – Computational News and Innovations

 

Wikipedia Searches and Sick Tweets Predict Flu Cases
New Scientist

A new algorithm mines data from Wikipedia to track flu cases across the United States. The program is designed to monitor certain entries that a sick person would look up, such as "flu season" and "fever," and hourly download publicly available information on how many people nationwide accessed the pages. In comparing their data with figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the researchers found they could accurately predict the number of cases in the county two weeks earlier and with a difference of just 0.27 percent. In addition, tweets about sickness, mentions of activities one might need to be healthy, and changes in Twitter use could be useful for monitoring a specific group of people, says Pennsylvania State University's Todd Bodnar. His team at the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics analyzed the Twitter feeds of 104 students, and its new algorithm was able to identify with 99 percent accuracy if a student had suffered from flu during a given month. To read further, please visit http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25435-wikipedia-searches-and-sick-tweets-predict-flu-cases.html#.U2qSH8fErDl.

A Key to Enjoying Massive Online Photo Files May Be Giving Up Some Control, Researchers Say
Carnegie Mellon News (PA)

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and Microsoft Research Cambridge recently conducted a study showing people reflected more on past events and developed a renewed interest in their online photos when a device called Photobox would randomly print four or five of those photos at varying intervals each month. The findings suggest users might find value in slowing the pace of technology. "Rather than allowing these large collections of images to stay hidden away, this device explores the use of serendipity as one approach to delighting people, while also making their images a regular part of their everyday life," says Microsoft researcher Richard Banks. The CMU researchers installed Photoboxes in three households of varying sizes and composition. To read further, please visit http://www.cmu.edu/news/stories/archives/2014/april/april23_photobox.html.

Researchers Use Twitter to Predict Crime
Agence France-Presse

Tweets can be useful for predicting 19 to 25 kinds of crimes, especially for offenses such as stalking, thefts, and certain kinds of assault if the correct analysis is applied, according to researchers at the University of Virginia. Matthew Gerber from the Predictive Technology Lab and colleagues analyzed tweets from Chicago tagged to certain neighborhoods and the city's crime database. Then they looked forward and were able to make useful predictions about areas where certain crimes were likely to occur. Gerber says the team's algorithm learns the pattern and produces a prediction. "This approach allows the analyst to rapidly visualize and identify areas with historically high crime concentrations," according to the research paper on the method. To read further, please visit http://phys.org/news/2014-04-twitter-crime.html.