Once called the “worst seat at the table” due to the amount of work on their plate, the role of the data engineer has developed into a multitude of offshoots. The rise of cloud computing and warehousing services killed off the database engineer and shifted the focus of data engineers towards managing data performance and reliability. This has further splintered off, giving rise to roles like the analytics engineer, “a role that straddles data engineering and data analytics, and applies an analytical, business-oriented approach to working with data.” Read full article here
Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here