OkCupid cofounder Christian Rudder is bringing his ‘Dataclysm’ to Philly

You’ve liked Facebook statuses. You’ve probably tweeted a tweet or two on Twitter. You may have even Googled something on Google. All that data you create everyday is helping data scientists better understand how humans behave — both online and off.
Creepy? Maybe. Super cool? Most definitely.
This is the subject of OkCupid cofounder and president Christian Rudder’s new(ish) book Dataclysm: Who We Are (When We Think No One’s Looking). You can hear Rudder talk about the book and gain some inside perspective on his work at OkCupid on Feb. 10 at String Theory Charter School.
Get tickets
Dataclysm is the next in a series of events hosted by the Arts + Business Council of Greater Philadelphia on how to better integrate creativity and innovation in the workplace. The event kicks off at 8:00 a.m. with a networking breakfast, followed by a keynote address by Rudder.
Rudder will then participate in a moderated Q&A session with Technical.ly Editor-in-Chief Zack Seward. Following the Q&A will be a panel of local tech professionals:

• Gary Kurtzman, Managing Director, Safeguard Scientifics
• Somesh Nigam, Senior VP & CIO, Independence Blue Cross
• Todd Homa, Data Architect & Senior Manager, CapTech
• Brendan Lowry, Managing Director, Curalate

Arts + Business Council Director of Marketing and Operations Anna Stokes says the panel will discuss how their companies are using and analyzing large datasets to better serve their clients and customers — as well as attract new ones.
“People that are trying to figure out what to do with all this data they’re collecting,” she said. “Attendees can hear from leaders in our region about next steps on how to decipher their own data.”
CapTech’s Homa says the event will help shine some light on a “whole lexicon of marketing Big Data buzzwords” and technologies that confound the average IT professional, let alone business users.
“Attendees will hear some of the real business use-cases that can create value and investment return when harnessing Big Data,” he said. CapTech works with several Fortune 500 companies to help them leverage the Big Data ecosystem, Homa added.
Tickets start at $35, and attendees will have the chance to purchase Rudder’s book and get it signed after the event (and score some dating tips?).
Not convinced? Check out Technical.ly’s coverage of one of Rudder’s Dataclysm events held in Brooklyn last fall.
“It’s not your typical business event,” said Stokes. “This is a really great place to meet a diverse group of people in the business and creative communities.”