Integrated Data and Exposure Analytics (IDEA) Core

Project Summary - Integrated Data and Exposure Analytics (IDEA) Core The overall goal of the Integrated Data and Exposure Analytics (IDEA) Core is to coordinate and facilitate research and training across the Climate and Health: Action and Research for Transformational Change Center (CHART). This will be achieved by supporting data systems and data science approaches to expedite study design, data collection, analysis, integration, and dissemination; and by facilitating climate-related exposure assessment, integration, and modeling activities. While the framework will be applicable for the long-term plan of advancing climate and health-related research and training at Columbia University and beyond, initial setup and focus will be on the two research Projects and the pilot studies that are to be funded through the Pilot Project Program (P3). The Core activities will be organized around four interrelated but complementary aims; namely, (1) providing statistical resources, data analysis capabilities, and reproducibility tools; (2) integrating and enhancing data management and harmonization, sharing, and interoperability; (3) providing support on exposure assessment, modeling, and integration; and (4) providing capacity building and training across CHART through a well-designed workshop series and engagement of researchers and trainees focusing on climate and health. Through these aims, the IDEA Core will be able to provide centralized oversight of study design, data analytic approaches, data management and harmonization, software development and implementation as well as quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC). It will also be able to foster data sharing and interoperability plans across CHART and beyond. The IDEA core will support exposure assessment, modeling, and integration for the two Projects and/or pilot projects, as well as relevant climate and health-related activities within CHART and beyond. Another major function of the IDEA Core is Capacity building, mainly built around the workshop series that will be run in coordination with the Administrative and Community Engagement Cores. IDEA Core activities will be dynamic and nimble to reflect the evolution of CHART as well as developments in climate science and data science broadly – in response to an active feedback mechanism across CHART. The Core is well positioned to help in prioritization of CHART activities and will ensure quality control by continuous monitoring of analytic strategies and adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs) set by the projects. By ensuring proper study design and analytic approaches are employed, data management protocols and operations are integrated across all Projects and Cores, and appropriate exposure assessment and modeling techniques are utilized, the IDEA Core will enhance CHART’s mission via quantitative input to transform climate and health research towards actionable solutions through transdisciplinary and integrative collaborations.