Monkey Health Explorer Data Analytics Intern
Department Description:
The Renaissance Computing Institute (RENCI) is a living laboratory that creates cyberinfrastructure for the benefit of science, business and society.
What makes us so “renaissance”? Our work isn’t just about solving known problems. It’s about unlocking human potential.
- We accelerate research.
- We help overcome barriers to make research faster, stronger and more creative.
- We advance the state-of-the-art. Not just in what machines can do, but what people can do with machines.
- We transcend boundaries.
- We foster inclusivity, promote diversity and collaborate across disciplines to enhance science, engineering, art, the humanities and commerce.
A research institute of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, RENCI links people, data and resources across the UNC system, Duke University, Research Triangle Park and the State of North Carolina.
Student Advancement at RENCI (STAR) offers hands-on experience and mentorship for aspiring leaders in data science and technology. Gain valuable insights and collaborate on cutting-edge projects alongside industry experts. Join us in shaping the future of innovation and research. Apply now for an enriching internship experience at RENCI.
Position Summary/Description:
Monkey Health Explorer (MHE) is part of a larger collaborative project, engaging a multidisciplinary team studying rhesus macaque monkeys that live on Cayo Santiago island in Puerto Rico. These monkeys have been studied for decades and are useful as models for human health, social behavior, and aging. Whole blood samples were collected from more than 600 monkeys to investigate the population’s overall health and to identify correlations with genetics and social behavior. Blood smear slides were scanned and images were uploaded to the people-powered science platform, Zooniverse.org, to get help classifying white blood cells.
More than 17,000 international volunteers have classified almost 1 million white blood cells. Blood cell and user data from Zooniverse are downloaded and analyzed through a series of data analytics pipelines. Data from 143 monkeys indicates white blood cell trends in the population are similar to trends in humans, but identified 19 monkeys with potential health issues. Additional diagnostic information about potential health conditions in some monkeys was provided by public participants who have medical or veterinary training.
This project engages K-12 classrooms across North Carolina and Puerto Rico to expand participant reach, while providing real-world research examples and early career training to students interested in health and data analytics careers.
The student in this position will play an essential role on the research team, contributing substantially to data analysis and some background research.
Key responsibilities include:
- Actively participating in project team meetings and providing input on data analysis.
- Use existing scripts and modify them to analyze and summarize white and red blood cell data from individual monkeys as well as general population averages.
- Use existing scripts and modify them to analyze user data from Zooniverse to learn about public participant use and participation metrics.
- Read published scientific literature on blood composition in primates and alternative metrics for blood cell analysis.
- Gain experience in science communication through a blog post, interactions with Museum visitors through the Genomics & Microbiology lab’s outreach activities, and/or at meetings with the monkey health explorer team.
Essential Skills, Knowledge, & Abilities:
- Good communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Basic understanding of data analysis scripts/coding
- Detailed understanding of python scripting is preferred
Minimum Education and Experience Requirements:
Must be an Undergraduate Junior or Senior