sas global forum

11 Reasons to Apply for the New SAS Professional Award

 sas global forum, SAS Global Forum International Professional Award, sas global forum presenter mentoring program, Tech  No Responses »
9月 102019
 

I recently had the incredible opportunity to attend SAS Global Forum in Dallas as a presenter and New SAS Professional Award recipient. At the conference, I was able to learn more about SAS features and applications, share my knowledge of SAS applications in the clinical trials space, and make new professional connections.

Here are 11 reasons why you should consider applying for this award, too.

1) Free registration & conference hotel: The obvious perk for award winners is the waived fees associated with the cost of attending the conference, including the registration fee, pre-conference tutorial, and free stay at the conference hotel for award winners who are also presenters. As a junior-level employee, it can be difficult to convince your department to allow you to travel to a conference, but it makes it a lot easier to pitch the idea when an award covers most of the costs.

2) See a new city: I arrived at the conference a day early, so I was able to take advantage of my time in Dallas to see the city. I walked around downtown, toured the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, and ate some delicious barbeque. SAS Global Forum 2020 will be held in Washington D.C., so there will be plenty of sights to see there as well.

3) Receive guidance from a mentor: Award recipients who publish and present a paper are eligible to be matched with a mentor through the Presenter Mentoring Program. My mentor, Chris Battiston, was incredibly friendly, helpful, and personable. He provided advice on presentations to attend, public speaking tips, and even referred me for an opportunity to fly out to Canada as an invited speaker at the SAS Canada Health Users group conference. Having a mentor helped set my expectations for the conference and make a plan to maximize my experience.

4) Open doors to additional opportunities: This award, and my associated presentations, provided me with a huge boost in my credibility and the publicity around my work. As a direct result of presenting at this conference and receiving the award, I received invitations to speak on the main stage in front of 5,000+ people at SAS Global Forum 2019, to attend the SAS Canada Health Users Group as an invited speaker, to serve as a panel speaker at the Research Triangle SAS Users Group, and attend SAS Global Forum 2020 as an invited speaker. I also had opportunities to meet Jim Goodnight and other SAS executives, which was an incredible honor.

5) Speak with SAS employees: Have a question about a SAS procedure? At SAS Global Forum, you can ask your question to the actual developers of those procedures in The Quad. The Quad is a large exhibit and demo area with dozens of SAS booths as well as the conference sponsors. At the booths, I spoke to quite a few representatives from SAS and learned about the variety of areas where SAS is making an impact. I learned about the features and functions of SAS Viya, efforts at SAS to make data visualization accessible to those who are visually impaired, the rationale behind moving the certification exams to a performance-based format, and the free SAS-supported software platform to teach coding to children at a young age.

6) Free swag: Not the most important reason, but still an awesome bonus! I walked away from the conference with two free t-shirts, a backpack from the Pinnacle Solutions sponsor booth, and many trinkets, pens, and notepads collected from the various booths.

7) Have fun: There were quite a few events at the conference that were a lot of fun! It was easy to meet people because everyone at the event was so friendly. There were happy hour events, lunch networking groups where you could sit with a table of people based on common interests, escape rooms, get-togethers for SAS regional user groups, and a big party for all conference attendees on the last night. It is a great opportunity to spend time with the people you meet at the conference.

8) Practice public speaking skills & teach others: Presenting at the conference is a great opportunity to practice speaking in front of a large group and to teach other professionals about some aspect of SAS. As a "New" SAS professional, it may sound daunting to come up with a topic that would be useful for a more experienced audience, but you'd be surprised at the number of people who attend the conference with no knowledge of many of the base procedures. Additionally, conference attendees find it incredibly valuable to learn about how SAS can be used to solve a problem or how an existing common task can be programmed more efficiently. My topic was "Using PROC SQL to Generate Shift Tables More Efficiently", and it taught programmers and statisticians a shorter way to produce shift tables, which are commonly used to present categorical longitudinal data. Because of the preparation I put in to present at the conference, I left the event as a much more confident speaker than I had ever been before.

9) Learn something new: At the conference, you'll have the opportunity to attend sessions on virtually any topic you can think of that is related to SAS. Most of the talks I attended were related to statistics because the topic aligns with my job description as a Biostatistician. Some of the topics I learned about were Bayesian analysis, missing data, survival analysis, clinical graphs, and artificial intelligence. Additionally, the conference allows you opportunities to ask specific questions about any SAS procedure or task you’re struggling with. A resource available at the conference is the “Code Doctors” table in The Quad, where you can ask programming questions to SAS experts. I had the opportunity to serve as a “Resident” for the Code Doctors program and was able to observe and help those who needed advice.


10) Increase visibility within your company: I was the only attendee from my company out of those working in my office, but there were several senior-level IQVIA employees from other regions in attendance, and I had the opportunity to meet them and spend time with them at the conference. I work at a very large company and would not have had the opportunity to meet these coworkers otherwise, so it was an excellent opportunity to increase my visibility even within my company. Additionally, I’ve had opportunities to apply the knowledge I gained from the conference at work and to share advice with coworkers based on what I learned.

11) Make new connections: Perhaps the most important reason to attend SAS Global Forum as a New SAS Professional is the connections you make at the conference. There are opportunities to meet people from all stages in their career who use SAS to complete statistical analysis. Despite working in different industries, I found that many conference attendees used the same procedures and dealt with the same issues that I did, and I truly felt a sense of community among the long-time attendees. Like most of the programmers, analysts, and statisticians in attendance, my day-to-day work is in a solitary environment on the computer. Although teamwork is involved within project teams, there is not a great amount of face-to-face interactions. I love connecting with other people, and this conference gave me the opportunity to meet other people working in similar positions.

The New SAS Professional Award is perfect for those with the potential to become a leader in their field and who are looking for more opportunities to present their ideas, to network and make connections, and to learn from experts.

This experience has allowed me to expand my skills and network, and served as a launchpad for my successful career. My attendance at the conference has allowed me to feel a greater sense of community with other SAS users, and to serve as a representative from the "next generation" of SAS Professionals. I encourage you to submit your abstract by September 30th and your award application by November 1st if this seems like the right opportunity for you. More details about this award and other award and scholarship opportunities are available on the SAS Global Forum 2020 website.

11 Reasons to Apply for the New SAS Professional Award was published on SAS Users.

11 Reasons to Apply for the New SAS Professional Award

 sas global forum, SAS Global Forum International Professional Award, sas global forum presenter mentoring program, Tech  No Responses »
9月 102019
 

I recently had the incredible opportunity to attend SAS Global Forum in Dallas as a presenter and New SAS Professional Award recipient. At the conference, I was able to learn more about SAS features and applications, share my knowledge of SAS applications in the clinical trials space, and make new professional connections.

Here are 11 reasons why you should consider applying for this award, too.

1) Free registration & conference hotel: The obvious perk for award winners is the waived fees associated with the cost of attending the conference, including the registration fee, pre-conference tutorial, and free stay at the conference hotel for award winners who are also presenters. As a junior-level employee, it can be difficult to convince your department to allow you to travel to a conference, but it makes it a lot easier to pitch the idea when an award covers most of the costs.

2) See a new city: I arrived at the conference a day early, so I was able to take advantage of my time in Dallas to see the city. I walked around downtown, toured the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, and ate some delicious barbeque. SAS Global Forum 2020 will be held in Washington D.C., so there will be plenty of sights to see there as well.

3) Receive guidance from a mentor: Award recipients who publish and present a paper are eligible to be matched with a mentor through the Presenter Mentoring Program. My mentor, Chris Battiston, was incredibly friendly, helpful, and personable. He provided advice on presentations to attend, public speaking tips, and even referred me for an opportunity to fly out to Canada as an invited speaker at the SAS Canada Health Users group conference. Having a mentor helped set my expectations for the conference and make a plan to maximize my experience.

4) Open doors to additional opportunities: This award, and my associated presentations, provided me with a huge boost in my credibility and the publicity around my work. As a direct result of presenting at this conference and receiving the award, I received invitations to speak on the main stage in front of 5,000+ people at SAS Global Forum 2019, to attend the SAS Canada Health Users Group as an invited speaker, to serve as a panel speaker at the Research Triangle SAS Users Group, and attend SAS Global Forum 2020 as an invited speaker. I also had opportunities to meet Jim Goodnight and other SAS executives, which was an incredible honor.

5) Speak with SAS employees: Have a question about a SAS procedure? At SAS Global Forum, you can ask your question to the actual developers of those procedures in The Quad. The Quad is a large exhibit and demo area with dozens of SAS booths as well as the conference sponsors. At the booths, I spoke to quite a few representatives from SAS and learned about the variety of areas where SAS is making an impact. I learned about the features and functions of SAS Viya, efforts at SAS to make data visualization accessible to those who are visually impaired, the rationale behind moving the certification exams to a performance-based format, and the free SAS-supported software platform to teach coding to children at a young age.

6) Free swag: Not the most important reason, but still an awesome bonus! I walked away from the conference with two free t-shirts, a backpack from the Pinnacle Solutions sponsor booth, and many trinkets, pens, and notepads collected from the various booths.

7) Have fun: There were quite a few events at the conference that were a lot of fun! It was easy to meet people because everyone at the event was so friendly. There were happy hour events, lunch networking groups where you could sit with a table of people based on common interests, escape rooms, get-togethers for SAS regional user groups, and a big party for all conference attendees on the last night. It is a great opportunity to spend time with the people you meet at the conference.

8) Practice public speaking skills & teach others: Presenting at the conference is a great opportunity to practice speaking in front of a large group and to teach other professionals about some aspect of SAS. As a "New" SAS professional, it may sound daunting to come up with a topic that would be useful for a more experienced audience, but you'd be surprised at the number of people who attend the conference with no knowledge of many of the base procedures. Additionally, conference attendees find it incredibly valuable to learn about how SAS can be used to solve a problem or how an existing common task can be programmed more efficiently. My topic was "Using PROC SQL to Generate Shift Tables More Efficiently", and it taught programmers and statisticians a shorter way to produce shift tables, which are commonly used to present categorical longitudinal data. Because of the preparation I put in to present at the conference, I left the event as a much more confident speaker than I had ever been before.

9) Learn something new: At the conference, you'll have the opportunity to attend sessions on virtually any topic you can think of that is related to SAS. Most of the talks I attended were related to statistics because the topic aligns with my job description as a Biostatistician. Some of the topics I learned about were Bayesian analysis, missing data, survival analysis, clinical graphs, and artificial intelligence. Additionally, the conference allows you opportunities to ask specific questions about any SAS procedure or task you’re struggling with. A resource available at the conference is the “Code Doctors” table in The Quad, where you can ask programming questions to SAS experts. I had the opportunity to serve as a “Resident” for the Code Doctors program and was able to observe and help those who needed advice.


10) Increase visibility within your company: I was the only attendee from my company out of those working in my office, but there were several senior-level IQVIA employees from other regions in attendance, and I had the opportunity to meet them and spend time with them at the conference. I work at a very large company and would not have had the opportunity to meet these coworkers otherwise, so it was an excellent opportunity to increase my visibility even within my company. Additionally, I’ve had opportunities to apply the knowledge I gained from the conference at work and to share advice with coworkers based on what I learned.

11) Make new connections: Perhaps the most important reason to attend SAS Global Forum as a New SAS Professional is the connections you make at the conference. There are opportunities to meet people from all stages in their career who use SAS to complete statistical analysis. Despite working in different industries, I found that many conference attendees used the same procedures and dealt with the same issues that I did, and I truly felt a sense of community among the long-time attendees. Like most of the programmers, analysts, and statisticians in attendance, my day-to-day work is in a solitary environment on the computer. Although teamwork is involved within project teams, there is not a great amount of face-to-face interactions. I love connecting with other people, and this conference gave me the opportunity to meet other people working in similar positions.

The New SAS Professional Award is perfect for those with the potential to become a leader in their field and who are looking for more opportunities to present their ideas, to network and make connections, and to learn from experts.

This experience has allowed me to expand my skills and network, and served as a launchpad for my successful career. My attendance at the conference has allowed me to feel a greater sense of community with other SAS users, and to serve as a representative from the "next generation" of SAS Professionals. I encourage you to submit your abstract by September 30th and your award application by November 1st if this seems like the right opportunity for you. More details about this award and other award and scholarship opportunities are available on the SAS Global Forum 2020 website.

11 Reasons to Apply for the New SAS Professional Award was published on SAS Users.

What really matters: SAS #data4good and the SAS Press team

 analytics, data for good, sas global forum, Tech  No Responses »
8月 052019
 

As a company, SAS consistently supports #data4good initiatives designed to help those less fortunate around the world. SAS Press team members recently took some time to reflect on the SAS initiatives that inspired them. We thought this would be a good opportunity to introduce some of the team who work so hard on our SAS Press books.

Sian Roberts, Publisher

I lead the SAS Press team and oversee the publication of our books from start to finish, including manuscript acquisition, book development, production, sales, and promotion.

Having lost both my dad and grandmother to cancer, the work SAS is doing to help improve care for cancer patients by tailoring treatments for individuals particularly resonates with me. For example, the wonderful work that is being done with Amsterdam University Medical Center to use computer vision and predictive analytics to improve care for cancer patients is of particular interest to me. My hope is that by using analytics and AI on data gathered from hospitals, research institutes, pharma and biotech companies, patterns can be identified earlier, and survival rates will increase.

 
 

Suzanne Morgen, Developmental Editor

I work with authors to help them develop and write their books, then go to conferences to sell those books and recruit more authors!

At SAS Global Forum, we heard about a pilot program at the New Hanover County Department of Social Services that uses SAS to alert caseworkers to risks for children in their care. I have been a foster parent for several years, so I am excited about any new resources that would help social workers intervene earlier in kids’ lives and hopefully keep them safer and even reduce the need for foster care. I hope SAS is able to partner with many more social services departments and use analytics to help protect more kids in the state and across the country.

Emily Scheviak-Livesay, Senior Business Operations Specialist

As a SAS employee for 22 years, I have learned to wear many hats. At SAS Press, I keep the business running smoothly and manage the metadata of all our books in all formats. I also work with our partners to ensure our titles are available both in the US and globally.

I love this story about JMP working with the Animal Humane Society! I’m a huge fan of “adopt, don’t shop” and it makes me so proud to work at a company where one of our products was used to assist in furthering the cause. For JMP to be able to take a huge amount of data from various sources and turn it into valuable information for The Animal Humane Society is amazing! Helping to care and save animals is what it’s all about. It truly is a fairy “tail” ending.

 

Missy Hannah, Senior Associate Developmental Editor

I work directly with SAS Press and JMP authors to plan and implement marketing strategies for our books. I grew up with a mother who not only was a Systems Engineer but who taught me all about technology. Looking back, I was always watching her code and work with technology and IT my entire life and seeing her do this meant those things came very easily for me. But often, other young women don’t find mentors in the field of data analytics and technology. Data shows that women account for less than 20% of computer science degrees in the U.S. and hold less than 25% of STEM-related jobs. That is why the Women’s In Tech Network at SAS has been something I have really enjoyed having at my company. SAS creating the Women’s Initiative Network (WIN) and all the other work they are doing to increase women in STEM and data fields is something that really matters.

Catherine Connolly, Developmental Editor

I work with authors to develop books that support SAS’ business initiatives. My main areas of focus are JMP, data management, and IoT.

There are so many SAS initiatives through #data4good that make me proud to be a SAS employee. One initiative I read earlier this year that stuck with me was a partnership between SAS and CAP Science to combat against repeated domestic violence. CAP Science developed wearables to be worn by both the domestic violence victim and the offender. The wearable uses SAS software to continuously collect data and report on the offender’s location in real-time in an effort to stop future attacks.

 
 

We hope you enjoyed this small insight into some of our team. We are all very proud to work for a company that takes the time to improve the lives of those who need it and uses the power of data and analytics to help the world.

What SAS #data4good initiative has been your favorite? Make sure to comment below!

What really matters: SAS #data4good and the SAS Press team was published on SAS Users.

What really matters: SAS #data4good and the SAS Press team

 analytics, data for good, sas global forum, Tech  No Responses »
8月 052019
 

As a company, SAS consistently supports #data4good initiatives designed to help those less fortunate around the world. SAS Press team members recently took some time to reflect on the SAS initiatives that inspired them. We thought this would be a good opportunity to introduce some of the team who work so hard on our SAS Press books.

Sian Roberts, Publisher

I lead the SAS Press team and oversee the publication of our books from start to finish, including manuscript acquisition, book development, production, sales, and promotion.

Having lost both my dad and grandmother to cancer, the work SAS is doing to help improve care for cancer patients by tailoring treatments for individuals particularly resonates with me. For example, the wonderful work that is being done with Amsterdam University Medical Center to use computer vision and predictive analytics to improve care for cancer patients is of particular interest to me. My hope is that by using analytics and AI on data gathered from hospitals, research institutes, pharma and biotech companies, patterns can be identified earlier, and survival rates will increase.

 
 

Suzanne Morgen, Developmental Editor

I work with authors to help them develop and write their books, then go to conferences to sell those books and recruit more authors!

At SAS Global Forum, we heard about a pilot program at the New Hanover County Department of Social Services that uses SAS to alert caseworkers to risks for children in their care. I have been a foster parent for several years, so I am excited about any new resources that would help social workers intervene earlier in kids’ lives and hopefully keep them safer and even reduce the need for foster care. I hope SAS is able to partner with many more social services departments and use analytics to help protect more kids in the state and across the country.

Emily Scheviak-Livesay, Senior Business Operations Specialist

As a SAS employee for 22 years, I have learned to wear many hats. At SAS Press, I keep the business running smoothly and manage the metadata of all our books in all formats. I also work with our partners to ensure our titles are available both in the US and globally.

I love this story about JMP working with the Animal Humane Society! I’m a huge fan of “adopt, don’t shop” and it makes me so proud to work at a company where one of our products was used to assist in furthering the cause. For JMP to be able to take a huge amount of data from various sources and turn it into valuable information for The Animal Humane Society is amazing! Helping to care and save animals is what it’s all about. It truly is a fairy “tail” ending.

 

Missy Hannah, Senior Associate Developmental Editor

I work directly with SAS Press and JMP authors to plan and implement marketing strategies for our books. I grew up with a mother who not only was a Systems Engineer but who taught me all about technology. Looking back, I was always watching her code and work with technology and IT my entire life and seeing her do this meant those things came very easily for me. But often, other young women don’t find mentors in the field of data analytics and technology. Data shows that women account for less than 20% of computer science degrees in the U.S. and hold less than 25% of STEM-related jobs. That is why the Women’s In Tech Network at SAS has been something I have really enjoyed having at my company. SAS creating the Women’s Initiative Network (WIN) and all the other work they are doing to increase women in STEM and data fields is something that really matters.

Catherine Connolly, Developmental Editor

I work with authors to develop books that support SAS’ business initiatives. My main areas of focus are JMP, data management, and IoT.

There are so many SAS initiatives through #data4good that make me proud to be a SAS employee. One initiative I read earlier this year that stuck with me was a partnership between SAS and CAP Science to combat against repeated domestic violence. CAP Science developed wearables to be worn by both the domestic violence victim and the offender. The wearable uses SAS software to continuously collect data and report on the offender’s location in real-time in an effort to stop future attacks.

 
 

We hope you enjoyed this small insight into some of our team. We are all very proud to work for a company that takes the time to improve the lives of those who need it and uses the power of data and analytics to help the world.

What SAS #data4good initiative has been your favorite? Make sure to comment below!

What really matters: SAS #data4good and the SAS Press team was published on SAS Users.

SAS Global Forum Call for Content is Open

 Mentoring Program, sas global forum, SAS Global Forum International Professional Award, sas global forum presenter mentoring program, Tech  No Responses »
8月 022019
 

SAS Global Forum is a time for SAS users to come together to share their knowledge. Are you ready and willing to share your SAS knowledge?

Take a look at the proceedings from 2019 for ideas and inspiration. Search for any of the top 10 sessions below to get a feel for what was popular this year:

    1. Cool PROC SQL Tricks
    2. End to End Modeling and Machine Learning in SAS® Viya®
    3. Getting the most out of SAS® Macro Language and SQL
    4. How to be an Effective Statistician
    5. Data Governance: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
    6. Tell Me a Data Story: Data Visualization
    7. Let Leonardo da Vinci Inspire Your Next Presentation: Data Visualization
    8. Comparing SAS® Viya® and SAS® 9.4: How Their Features Complement Each Other
    9. From Words to Actions: Using Text Analytics to Drive Business Decisions
    10. A Beginner's Guide to ARRAYs and DO Loops

Remember, accepted abstracts for primary authors get a 50% discount on registration. Call for content closes September 30, 2019.

Still not sure?

What's keeping you from submitting? Maybe you can't seem to come up with a topic, or the thought of writing that abstract and working outline is overwhelming. Don't worry, we've got you covered. We have a great Presenter Mentoring Program that will pair you up with a seasoned expert to guide you through the process. We also have resources to help get you started. We’re here to help you throughout the process.

Award programs

We continue to support new SAS users and international attendees with our New SAS Professional and International Professional Award Programs. Check out the benefits you may be eligible for if you are a SAS professional using SAS for five years or less, or you live outside of the contiguous 48 United States. You can potentially get lodging assistance (and travel assistance for international attendees) if you submit an abstract and working outline that is accepted. Visit the conference website to learn about the many award and scholarship opportunities to help get you to Washington, DC.

SAS Global Forum 2020 is going to be epic! It's our first year holding this event at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in downtown Washington, D.C. You won't want to miss it, so get your abstract in soon!

SAS Global Forum Call for Content is Open was published on SAS Users.

A playful way to get your hands on SAS: the Data Science Escape Rooms

 data science, sas global forum, SAS Visual Analytics, Tech  No Responses »
6月 202019
 

Move over video games and sports. Make room for escape rooms. This burgeoning form of entertainment found its roots in the video gaming movement. Escape rooms tap into a player's drive to reach the next level, solve a puzzle and win. Escape rooms present a physical game that traps you until your brain (and teamwork) help you escape. Does that sound exhilarating or terrifying? Maybe a bit of both.

SAS adapted this concept and built its own Data Science Escape Rooms at SAS Global Forum 2019. More than 800 customers used SAS software to solve a series of problems in one of six rooms, spanning three different themes: soccer, wildlife and cyberattack.

I had the opportunity to support these rooms by assisting with registration and check-in. I also "covered" the experience through videos that shared a behind-the-scenes look, player reactions and backstories on how the rooms were developed.

I even got to chat with one team that completed all three rooms. The Advanced Claims Analysis Team with the United States Office of Personnel Management, aka Team "Auditgators," included Kevin Sikora, Julie Zoeller, Richard Allen and Lauren Goob. They spoke about how cool it was to play with software they're not used to in pseudo real-world scenarios.

What the escape rooms were really like

Let me give you a lay of the land. The rooms included four stations each with a computer screen and a mouse (no keyboards). At each station, players used products like SAS Visual Analytics and SAS Visual Investigator to solve a challenge, working against the clock to escape the room within 20 minutes. Talk about pressure.

A team studies a problem at one of four stations in the Wildlife-themed escape room.

"You definitely felt a sense of urgency in there," recalls Sikora. "We really got into the wildlife room – it's where we received the highest score. We had the chance to do some great team-building too. We're more cohesive having shared this experience."

The Auditgators worked separately to solve problems and then collaborated to piece together the bigger puzzle. When they got stuck, they asked for help from the "gamemasters," who were literally behind the walls of the rooms. Gamemasters doled out clues to nudge teams along.

This may seem like a fun diversion, but how in the world can you apply this experience to your daily work? "Well we certainly realized the value in using more graphs, to click and filter to find answers we need," said Zoeller. "It was enlightening to see how we could show the data, and it gave us a better awareness of the end goal, the big picture."

Allen and Goob have been to SAS Global Forums in the past and said that the Data Science Escape Rooms gave them the best opportunity to interact with one another than anything else at the event. "It breaks up sitting in rooms and listening, breaks up the monotony. It gave us a chance to do something together as a team."

More reactions and backstories

Want a taste of the action at the event? Here, SAS' Lisa Dodson, Data Science Escape Room Gamemaster, couldn't hide her excitement to give clues and cheer on teams.

 
 
Michael Gibbs with the University of Arkansas described the intensity and pressure to get the answer and move on while escaping.

 
 
SAS partnered with SciSports to build the soccer-themed escape room. SciSports Founder and CIO Giels Brouwer and Data Scientist Mick Bosma explained how the idea came about and plans to take the room on the road.

 
 
While most participants enjoyed the challenge, not everyone "escaped" successfully. The most successful teams had solid teamwork and good communication. Sound like a lesson for "real life"? SAS' Alfredo Iglesias Rey reports that 18 percent of the teams completed all four challenges correctly. He also marveled at how players were able to create advanced machine learning techniques with just a mouse and keyboard.

 
 
Dying to check out a Data Science Escape Room yourself? You'll find them at several local SAS Forums this year, and plans are underway to offer them at other venues. But you don't have to wait for an escape room to get a feel for SAS software. Try SAS online right now, for free.

A playful way to get your hands on SAS: the Data Science Escape Rooms was published on SAS Users.

6 must reads following our biggest event of the year

 computer vision, natural language processing, sas global forum  No Responses »
5月 082019
 

I just spent four inspiring days talking to customers about the many ways they are putting analytics into action in their organizations.  From computer vision models that interpret medical images to natural language processing models that analyze supply chain records, SAS users are doing ground-breaking work with analytics and AI. [...]

6 must reads following our biggest event of the year was published on SAS Voices by Oliver Schabenberger

New AI offerings highlight many free ways to learn SAS

 sas global forum, SAS Viya, Tech  No Responses »
4月 292019
 

Remember when it seemed like the only way to explain analytics to a layperson was to reference "Moneyball"? My how things have changed. Analytics and big data went mainstream and, more recently, AI and algorithms grace the headlines of national news pieces.

As analytics has moved from the backroom to front page, the related careers and learning options have exploded. I don’t need to tell readers of this blog about the high demand for analytics and data science talent.

I have worked in the training and education groups at SAS for 22 years. For SAS, a stalwart in higher education and the commercial world, the last decade has been a time of change. With so many choices for statistics, programming and analytics, we introduced many free options for learning and using SAS.

On April 28, we announced our latest investments in analytics education, headlined by SAS Viya for Learners, which offers free access to AI and machine learning software for higher education teaching and learning.

Introducing SAS Viya for Learners

SAS Viya for Learners is a full suite of cloud-based software that supports the entire analytics life cycle – from data, to discovery, to deployment. It makes it easy for professors to incorporate AI and machine learning into coursework, including the ability to integrate R & Python with SAS through Jupyter notebooks.

SAS Viya for Learners users get access to a suite of integrated machine learning, text analytics, forecasting, data mining and visualization tools.

People with expertise in an industry-standard like SAS, plus open source skills, will stand out in such a competitive job market.

SAS Viya for Learners provides support tools like online chat, web tutorials, e-learning opportunities, documentation, communities and technical support, freeing educators to teach creative applications of analytics, and critical thinking skills. To support the successful use of SAS Viya for Learners at academic institutions, we offer free educator workshops and teaching materials.

Students learn to explore data, discover insights and deploy AI and machine learning models. They gain real-world experience through true business use cases and showcase their skills with badges and certification opportunities.

Professors can apply for access to SAS Viya for Learners via its home page. Students sign up through their professors.

SAS Viya for Learners is also available to those who enroll in a new SAS machine learning course, available now, for just $79 for three months access. Learners can also soon gain AI and machine learning skills via two new Coursera courses that will offer access to SAS Viya for Learners.

SAS Viya for Learners is just the latest free offering to help people teach and learn SAS.

I also encourage educators to check out Cortex, a new analytics simulation game co-developed by SAS and Canadian business school HEC Montreal.  Cortex teaches analytics and predictive modeling skills through a competitive game. Educators can bring real-world experience into the classroom by having students compete to create the best model to support a fictional charitable foundation’s fundraising efforts. The game provides students with information on the nonprofit and a data set of potential donors, as well as access to SAS data mining tools. Students are ranked on a leaderboard based on the quality of their model and its results.

You DO need stinking badges!

I know, I’m dating myself with that reference, but it’s critical that professionals and students be able to stand out from the pack. Digital credentials that validate expertise enhance degrees and carry significant weight with savvy employers seeking people who can get the job done.

An AI, big data, advanced analytics or data science credential fosters lucrative opportunities across industries. The SAS Global Certification program has long been the standard for industries like banking and life sciences, having awarded more than 142,000 SAS credentials to individuals in 112 countries.

 This week, we launched three new specialist-level SAS certifications in machine learning, natural language and computer vision, and forecasting and optimization. The learners who pursue the certification automatically earn the professional-level credential, SAS Certified Professional: AI and Machine Learning. An immersive two-week classroom experience or flexible, online option taken over 12 months are available. Both options include certification exams.

In addition, we partnered with Acclaim to create digital badges for SAS credentials. Professionals can add badges to online resumes, social media and email signatures to showcase expertise in a variety of analytical skills.

These new programs were announced at SAS Global Forum 2019. Like every year, the event is an amazing gathering of thousands of SAS users which gives educators and students their time to shine. We hope the attendees and SAS users around the world are as excited about these new offerings as we are. We look forward to helping more people learn, grow and succeed.

New AI offerings highlight many free ways to learn SAS was published on SAS Users.

SAS celebrates analytics talent, and those who shape it

 analytics, analytics talent, purdue university, sas distinguished professor, sas global forum, sas student ambassadors, skills gap  No Responses »
4月 292019
 

A persistent analytics talent gap creates big opportunities for people who can wield analytics to help organizations make better decisions. Innovative analytics users and students who are rushing to fill that gap, and those who teach them, are being honored this week at SAS Global Forum. A special Sunday event [...]

SAS celebrates analytics talent, and those who shape it was published on SAS Voices by Trent Smith

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