Technology – Perry Beaumont

Looking forward to Data Science Day!

Really looking forward to his year’s program with an amazing line-up of speakers and topics!

An ArcGIS Infographic That Maps Homeless Populations and COVID-19

Serving as head of data science at Distinguished Programs, Perry Beaumont helps guide the firm’s full range of risk mitigation initiatives. One area in which Perry Beaumont has a strong interest is the work of ArcGIS in employing advanced software capabilities for mapping COVID-19 and its societal implications.

An infographic recently created as a “Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS” demo highlights populations that are most at risk, including those without health insurance, the elderly, and the homeless. The source for the infographic is the ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World, which contains data from the Continuum of Care (CoC) Program. This reflects US Department of Housing and Urban Development demarcations.

The infographic contains tables, charts, and key indicators that provide specific insights about selected geographical areas. The first page of the infographic is populated by key demographic information, while the second page has underlying information. An example is San Francisco, which is shown to have a shelter population of 3,626 people, with this information further broken down in terms of age distribution and family groupings.

This provide planners with information about areas that are in need of additional monitoring and mobile testing clinics. The data also provides guidance on where outreach should be targeted and how many additional beds in shelters are needed to achieve “social distancing” targets.

Becoming a Data Scientist

The lead data scientist, head of data science, and actuary at Distinguished Programs in New York City, Perry Beaumont, PhD, has been involved in the finance and technology fields for more than two decades. Beyond his work at Distinguished Programs, Dr. Perry Beaumont teaches at Columbia University.

Data science is a complex field that involves the gathering and analysis of data to reach a conclusion. Data scientists rely on several techniques, including machine learning and statistics. Due to the highly technical nature of data science, becoming an in-demand data scientist takes some effort.

Most data scientists are well educated. About 90 percent of employed data scientists have a master’s degree, while approximately 44 percent have a PhD. For this reason, individuals who want to be competitive in the field should get a master’s degree at the minimum.

Additionally, master’s degrees are best earned in data or related fields. Bachelor’s degrees can be a bit more flexible. Many data scientists have bachelor’s degrees in fields such as computer science, physics, or math. Data scientists also need computer programming skills, good communication skills, and knowledge of statistics.

Dataiku Releases Documentary on AI Technology

Perry Beaumont, PhD, is the lead data scientist and head of data science and actuary at Distinguished Programs. He received his PhD in statistics, econometrics, and finance from the University of Illinois. In addition, Perry Beaumont has written a number of books, including Financial Engineering Principles and Fixed-Income Synthetic Assets, and his latest book, Digital Finance, was published in late 2019. He was recently featured in Dataiku’s new documentary Data Science Pioneers.

The hour-long documentary focuses on both the job of the data scientist and the ways in which those roles shape how artificial intelligence (AI) technology has developed and will continue to evolve. Data scientists are professionals whose jobs revolve around how data is collected, stored and, most importantly, disseminated for use in companies. This is especially important in the field of AI, where data collection and dissemination are fundamental aspects of how AI functions grow and improve.

The film also seeks to foster an understanding both within the community and outside it of what exactly a data scientist is, and the ethical responsibilities of the community in the building of new technologies. This is particularly clear in the managing of personal user data. As technologies grow, so too do the ethics surrounding privacy and civil liberties.