Researchers at UNC-Chapel Hill are going to tackle “big data” with a $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.

Arcot Rajasekar, a professor in the School of Information and Library Science and chief scientist at the Renaissance Computing Institute is the principal investigator. The three-year project is called: “DataBridge – A Sociometric System for Long-Tail Science Data Collections.”

The UNC team is one of eight to receive a total of $15 million in grants for various aspects of big data research.

“Big data” is a term coined for data gathered from across a growing spectrum of global information.

“This grant is an excellent fit for campus and the school’s priorities as well as the research and curriculum initiatives already underway,” said Gary Marchionini, dean of the School of Information and Library Science. “We are excited to have an opportunity to extend our national leadership in big data tool and services.”

Working with Rajasekar will be: Thomas W. Carsey, Pearsall Distinguished Professor of political science and director of the Odum Institute for Research in Social Science; Hye-Chung Kum, research associate professor at the School of Social Work and adjunct professor in the department of computer science; Howard Lander, senior research software developer; and Sharlini Sankaran, executive director of Research, Engagement and Capabilities Hub of North Carolina RENCI.

North Carolina A&T and Harvard researchers also are part of the project.

“The DataBridge project builds on a long history of national excellence in data management and archiving enjoyed by the Odum Institute,” said Carsey in a statement. “The institute is always conducting research and development with a focus on delivering research data to scholars efficiently and effectively. The DataBridge project represents the next significant step in that ongoing mission.”