DISCUS

About us

What is DISCUS?

DISCUS is the Data Intensive Science Centre at the University of Sussex, a research unit built to address real social and economic challenges by applying data interpretation techniques developed by a cross-disciplinary team over a number of years.

DISCUS aims to support the UK’s public and private sector organisations as they seek to make better use of their largest and most complex data sets, delivering better outcomes for the general public, and staying competitive on the international stage.

What is data intensive science?

Data intensive science refers to the development of highly efficient algorithms to deal with the largest, most complex data sets with maximum speed.

The data sets in question pose a serious challenge to most researchers, as they are too large to be analysed with the usual computational tools. However, they are commonplace in physics research - the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, for instance, produces a petabyte of data every second.

Thanks to the demand for data intensive science in our field of study, we at DISCUS have developed the knowledge necessary to deal with these colossal data sets.

Who is DISCUS for?

DISCUS offers creative problem solving for any organisation with a data intensive challenge, or who are keen to unlock the hidden value of their data.

Our increasingly connected and quantified world brings with it new problems, which require new solutions. Data is objective, and allows us to get to the heart of the matter, reassessing these challenges in an entirely new context. By reframing any given challenge as a data problem, we can deliver fresh and actionable insights.

If your organisation feels like it’s drowning in data, and you lack the people, tools and techniques with which to interpret and make use of it, we can help. We apply emerging, cutting-edge approaches to interrogate your data, helping you to discover new opportunities and applications.