INTR3002: Power and Politics of Data

Humanity is facing complex issues such as access to equitable healthcare and the impact of climate change. Quality useful data must be part of the solution to these issues.  Major challenges are how to get access to and assess the quality of data. This course explores how to find, access, create, and use openly available data and the relevant standards. We'll examine these challenges through the unique environment of academic research, where data is subject to more rigorous and evolving policies and requirements. Using real-world examples from various UC research projects, we'll investigate current forces shaping the field: data-sharing initiatives, the Open Data movement, and the impact of AI on data. Students will gain insights into the shifting dynamics between researchers, funding agencies, and policymakers, as well as the ethical considerations in data ownership, reuse and management. By unraveling the complex interplay of power and politics in the world of data, this course equips students to navigate and influence the future of research and innovation across disciplines. 

This course will help students understand the balance active researchers need to have in sharing their scholarship and fulfilling their own research potential through access to data.  The themes and activities in the course will highlight the current global infrastructure supporting open research data and how the benefits of access and sharing greatly improve the efficiency of research and the quality of life for all of humanity.