Two outstanding scholars have been awarded the first-ever Postdoctoral Fellowships from the Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute (HDSI), an important next step in expanding resources of the year-old Institute.

The inaugural awardees of postdoc fellowships add academic strength to HDSI in its mission to serve as the data science hub for university students, faculty and industry partners. Fellows are set to begin in the summer and fall, for two-year appointments. The new HDSI Fellows are:

• Stéphanie Martin, a current postdoctoral fellow at University of Geneva in Switzerland, with experience in machine learning for decoding various higher-order cognitive functions. Martin’s work includes developing novel cognitive neuroprosthetics, the devices that restore or aid nervous system functions lost to illness or injury, such as cochlear implants for hearing loss. Her HDSI mentors will be professors Brad Voytek and Virginia de Sa, both faculty members in the Department of Cognitive Science and Founding HDSI Faculty members. Martin has written and been interviewed extensively in the media on neuroscience in such publications as Science, Scientific American and New Scientist. More on Martin:
• Cong Peng, who is currently completing his Ph.D. at London School of Economics specializing in economic geography. Peng’s research focuses on urban economics, with emphasis on the relationships between transportation and traffic congestion on air pollution and e-commerce. His HDSI mentor will be Professor Gordon Hanson of the School of Global Policy & Strategy and a Founding HDSI Faculty member. Peng’s data-science technology expertise and teaching experience includes GIS geographical information systems, quantitative analysis and spatial economic analysis. More on Peng:
  The independent Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute is funding the postdoctoral scholars whose work will help advance the cross-disciplinary work of HDSI, its educational programs, and research strength of its more than 200 affiliated faculty members. The new postdocs were chosen from a highly competitive pool of applicants by the Postdoctoral Selection Committee composed of HDSI Founding Faculty members chaired by Ruth Williams, Distinguished Professor of Mathematics.All HDSI postdocs will be centered at the Institute and participate in Institute activities such as research seminars and lectures featuring leaders in their fields, and conducting research with students, faculty and industry partners.