Rayid Ghani, chief scientist of the highly regarded Obama for America data analytics team, has joined the University of Chicago to explore using data to solve complex social problems.

During the 2012 campaign season, Ghani's team applied advanced data-mining and machine-learning methods to create new tools for fundraising, voter turnout, advertising and campaign strategy. Now, working with the Computation Institute and the University of Chicago Harris School, Ghani hopes to adapt those methods to address challenges in areas such as education, public safety and health care.

"Chicago Harris is taking important steps to prepare public policy students to tackle some of the world's most pressing issues by harnessing the power of big data," Chicago Harris Dean Colm O'Muircheartaigh said. "Rayid's expertise, experience and vision will be integral to these efforts, and allow us to expand our ambitions for this work."

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