Episode 15: Digital Science - Necessity and Purpose

00:00:00: Welcome to a new episode of Campus to Cyber, the podcast by the German UDS, where we explore

00:00:16: the intersections of technology, education and innovation.

00:00:20: In this episode, we dive into the foundational concepts behind digital science, a crucial

00:00:26: topic for understanding the mission of the German University of Digital Science.

00:00:30: For the production of this episode, we again use the AI-based knowledge management tool

00:00:34: notebook LM.

00:00:36: The speakers are AI-generated voices.

00:00:39: Our focus today is a paper written by Professor Dr. Mike Fridisen, which explores the theoretical

00:00:44: background of digital science.

00:00:46: This is particularly significant, as it's not used as a core academic area, but also

00:00:52: a key part of the university's identity.

00:00:55: In this episode, we will unpack what digital science truly means, its interdisciplinary

00:01:00: nature and how it's shaping the future of research, teaching and innovation in a rapidly

00:01:06: evolving digital world.

00:01:08: Join us with Vdalf into the important theoretical framework and its implications for education,

00:01:14: science and society.

00:01:15: [Music]

00:01:27: The German University of Digital Science, or German UDS for short.

00:01:31: They are all over this idea, want to be like the poster child for this whole digital shift.

00:01:38: Oh, they're serious for sure.

00:01:40: German UDS, they're picturing this university without borders, so anyone anywhere with an

00:01:46: internet connection they can learn, think about it.

00:01:48: Instead of flying across the world, you could take a virtual course on, let's say, astrophysics

00:01:53: from a leading expert in, I don't know, Argentina.

00:01:58: All without leaving your couch.

00:01:59: That's the goal, at least.

00:02:00: Okay, now that's what I'm talking about.

00:02:03: University without borders, learning from the best no matter where you are.

00:02:05: Come on, that's breaking down walls.

00:02:07: But it can't be as easy as just putting everything online, right?

00:02:10: There gotta be some bunks on the road, especially with something as crazy complex as scientific

00:02:15: research.

00:02:16: Oh, absolutely.

00:02:17: One of the biggest hurdles is making sure these digital tools, these simulations, they're

00:02:20: accurate.

00:02:21: Just like any experiment, you need good data, strong models to get results you can actually

00:02:25: trust.

00:02:26: There's that old saying in computer science, "garbage in, garbage out."

00:02:29: Right, makes sense.

00:02:30: But when it works, it seems like the potential is limitless, right?

00:02:34: We can run through scenarios that would be impossible, or at least wildly dangerous, to

00:02:38: do in the real world.

00:02:39: Plus, we can do it way faster and cheaper than the old schoolways.

00:02:44: So we've touched on this German University digital science, but I'm really interested

00:02:48: in this idea of openness being a core part of digital science.

00:02:52: What's that look like in practice?

00:02:53: Imagine a world where every research paper, all the data, even the plans for experiments

00:02:59: are out there for anyone to see.

00:03:00: Wow, okay.

00:03:01: It's not just about transparency, though.

00:03:03: That's huge.

00:03:04: It's about hitting the gas on discovery.

00:03:06: Make knowledge like a shared treasure chest, right?

00:03:09: Anyone can dig in, build off what's already there.

00:03:11: Imagine how fast things could move.

00:03:13: Yeah, I can see how that could unlock some insane breakthroughs.

00:03:16: It's like, what do they call it?

00:03:17: Crowdsourcing.

00:03:18: Yeah.

00:03:19: But for science.

00:03:20: But wouldn't that lead to worries about quality control?

00:03:23: Or maybe even people using the information for bad stuff?

00:03:26: Oh, 100%, those are valid concerns.

00:03:29: But instead of thinking of open access as this free-for-all, think of it more like a super

00:03:33: inclusive, transparent kind of peer review.

00:03:36: We're talking a system where anyone, and I mean anyone, can chime in with feedback,

00:03:42: potentially making the whole thing less biased.

00:03:44: So it's about finding new ways to make sure things are legit, keep the quality high, but

00:03:50: also tap into that power of making knowledge accessible to everyone.

00:03:54: Man, this is already making my brain hurt, and we're just scratching the surface here.

00:03:58: What other wild stuff is happening in the world of digital science that we need to know

00:04:02: about?

00:04:03: We rarely dipped our toes in the digital science pool.

00:04:06: One area where it's really shaking things up is with, what do they call it?

00:04:09: Big data.

00:04:10: We're talking data sets so huge, so complex, the old ways of looking at them.

00:04:15: Yeah, those don't cut it anymore.

00:04:17: Okay, big data, right?

00:04:18: It's one of those buzzwords you hear everywhere.

00:04:20: But give me the rundown.

00:04:21: What's that actually mean when we're talking science?

00:04:23: Okay, imagine you're trying to map the entire human genome, every single piece of it.

00:04:28: Or maybe you're tracking how a pandemic spreads, but like in real time, across the globe.

00:04:33: Or how about this?

00:04:34: You're sifting through astronomical data, but we're talking millions of galaxies here.

00:04:39: These are all examples where it's not just a lot of information, it's mountains of the

00:04:43: stuff, way more than any person could ever get through.

00:04:45: And that's where you need these specialized tools, these techniques, all powered by some

00:04:50: seriously next level computing power.

00:04:53: So we're not talking about a bigger spreadsheet here.

00:04:55: We need a whole new, what, infrastructure just to deal with this data.

00:04:59: You got it.

00:05:00: They call them E-infrastructures, kind of catchy, right?

00:05:02: And they're the backbone of digital science when we're talking big data.

00:05:05: Picture this.

00:05:06: Super computer, storage systems that seem like they go on forever, all connected to software

00:05:11: that can actually make sense of these crazy

00:05:13: big data sets. It's like, you know how you can stream movies without a hitch? Well, imagine that.

00:05:18: But for scientific data, times a thousand. So it's like we've handed researchers this

00:05:23: super powerful telescope that can see across a whole universe of information.

00:05:26: But they also need the right tools to understand what they're looking at. Makes you wonder,

00:05:32: what kind of groundbreaking stuff is hiding in all that data, just waiting to be found?

00:05:38: Now that's the exciting part. But the real magic happens when you take this computational power

00:05:43: and you mix it with that spirit of openness we were talking about earlier. See, by sharing data

00:05:49: openly, researchers all over the place can team up, check each other's work, and they might just

00:05:54: find these hidden patterns that no one else noticed. It's like that old saying, two heads are better

00:05:59: than one. But on a global scale, you've got these experts from all different fields coming together,

00:06:04: each bringing their own unique perspective to the table. And it's not just for the big wigs,

00:06:08: either. Remember, we were talking about citizen science? Well, this is where it gets really cool.

00:06:12: Think about it. Everyday people, like you and me, contributing to cutting edge research.

00:06:17: We could be collecting data, classifying images, maybe even running simulations on our home computers.

00:06:23: It's pretty wild when you think about it. So we're talking about making it possible for anyone to

00:06:28: get involved with science, not just read about it. That's pretty inspiring stuff. It really is.

00:06:33: And it shows how digital science is about way more than just fancy gadgets and tech. It's about

00:06:39: getting everyone on the same team, breaking down those old walls, and at the end of the day,

00:06:45: empowering anyone with an internet connection to help us understand the world better.

00:06:50: It makes you think, with all this potential right at our fingertips, what's next for education?

00:06:55: I mean, it's got to be more than just online lectures, the world being reshaped by

00:06:59: digital science. You hit the nail on the head. Institutions like that German UDS we talked about,

00:07:04: they're leading the charge, cooking up totally new ways of teaching that go way beyond the technical

00:07:09: stuff. We're talking critical thinking, collaboration, knowing how to navigate the ethical side of all

00:07:14: this. These are the skills you need to really thrive in this digital world.

00:07:18: So they're not just training scientists, they're training digital citizens, people who

00:07:21: get science and can contribute to it in a real way. And in this day and age, that feels more

00:07:28: important than ever. It's like we're building a whole new kind of literacy, right? One where you

00:07:34: got to get science and navigate this digital world all at the same time. Pretty exciting, sure,

00:07:39: but also kind of feels like a lot of responsibility comes with that.

00:07:42: Oh, you said it. We're all fired up about what digital science can do, but we got to be real

00:07:46: about the responsibility. Yeah. It's like we're explorers heading into uncharted territory,

00:07:51: got to watch our step every inch of the way. So how do we make sure we're using these crazy,

00:07:57: powerful tools the right way? That we're not like accidentally causing new problems while

00:08:02: we're trying to fix the old ones. That's the million dollar question right there.

00:08:06: One thing that's better happened is setting up some serious data governance. We're talking

00:08:10: clear rules for how we collect, store, share information, and of course how to protect

00:08:15: sensitive stuff, making sure everyone's on board with it. So kind of like setting boundaries,

00:08:19: making sure everyone gets it, how important the ethical side of this is. It's like, I don't know,

00:08:23: building a city, right? You don't just start throwing up skyscrapers without a plan. You

00:08:27: need infrastructure. You got to think about how it all comes together responsibly.

00:08:31: Nailed it. And just like a city needs, you know, a good government that changes as things change,

00:08:36: digital science has to keep up, adapt. We've got to keep asking the tough questions.

00:08:41: How do we get everyone access to these tools, these resources, or we're building bias into

00:08:46: our algorithms without realizing it? Who is actually benefiting from all these discoveries

00:08:51: that digital science makes possible? It's like baking those ethical considerations right into

00:08:56: the DNA of digital science, from the algorithms to how we do research, how we share what we find.

00:09:02: Exactly. And this is where it gets even cooler. Digital science can't happen in a bubble. We

00:09:07: need everyone, the ethicists, the sociologists, the legal folks, everyone working side by side

00:09:12: with the scientists and engineers. That's how we make sure these tools are used for good.

00:09:17: Teamwork makes the dream work, right? This is a lot to wrap your head around, but

00:09:21: man is it hopeful. It feels like we're standing on the edge of something brand new,

00:09:26: not just for science, but for everyone, everywhere. Couldn't have said it better myself.

00:09:31: If there's one thing I hope our listeners take away from this whole deep dive,

00:09:34: it's that feeling of possibility. Digital science isn't some far off thing. It's happening

00:09:41: right now, changing the world as we speak. And listen, whether you're a scientist, a student,

00:09:46: or just someone who wants to know what's up, there are so many ways to get involved in this

00:09:50: revolution. It's happening. It's about being open to the unknown, getting curious, asking the hard

00:09:56: questions. Yeah. And never ever forgetting that the future of science, heck, the future of our

00:10:01: world, it's something we all have a hand in shaping. Well said. It's been a blast diving

00:10:06: into this with you. Really enjoyed it. The pleasure was all mine. And all you listeners out there,

00:10:10: thanks for coming along on this incredible journey into the heart of digital science.

00:10:14: Stay curious, folks, and we'll catch you on our next deep dive.

00:10:26: (upbeat music)