A one-week special training in data science and medical image analysis (DATICAN) was hosted a few days ago by Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, to expose participants to supercomputers and High-Performance Computing (HPC) through collaboration with the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory, USA.
Speaking at the opening program, the Principal Investigator of the project, Professor Benjamin Aribisala, described the programme as a necessity for those in the medical field and other fields of study.
Professor Aribisala highlighted the critical roles of Data Science in medical diagnosis as nulli-secundus and explained why the project was tailored towards building capacity in Data Science and its medical applications.
According to him, “this version of the training was called Hackathon 2.0, as the first version was Hackathon 1.0, which was hosted by Lagos State University in April 2024.”
He stressed that “the project was tailored towards building capacity in Data Science and its medical applications.”
While recounting the inception of DATICAN and how the idea was conceived at the University of Chicago, USA, in 2022 when he visited as a Fulbright Scholar, the academic don expressed happiness that the same idea is now successfully delivered in Nigeria.
On the importance of collaboration across disciplines, he noted that Data Science transcends traditional boundaries, particularly benefiting fields like medicine and other applied sciences.
Professor Aribisala hinted that “DATICAN has awarded some scholarships to outstanding participants, highlighting that the programme nurtures future leaders in Data Science and medical research.”
In his own submission, the Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee at Redeemer’s University, Professor Adewale Ogunde, commended Professor Aribisala for his exemplary leadership in guiding the DATICAN team towards their achievements.
He also expressed gratitude to the sponsors of the Hackathon for their unwavering support and encouraged trainees to maintain their commitment to excellence in research and innovation.
Also, speaking at the opening, Professor Samson Arekete, a member of the DATICAN Steering Committee from Redeemer’s University, emphasized the importance of delivering solutions in data science and medical diagnostics to fulfill the programme’s objectives.
Present at the event were Professor Godwin Ogbole, a member of the DATICAN Steering Committee from the University of Ibadan; Dr. Hesham Gaafar, Guest Speaker from the University of Chicago; and some of the trainers, including Professor Olufade Onifade from the University of Ibadan, Dr. M. O. Odim, and Dr. (Mrs.) B. O. Oguntunde from Redeemer’s University, as well as participants from different universities in Nigeria.