I love my job, as I have the privilege of highlighting Microsoft Research Connections’ collaborations with some of the brightest minds at universities and research institutions around the world. And with so many inspiring projects, it’s difficult to pick my favorites—which is why I’m glad that your clicks can let us know which blogs most sparked your interest. So, here are the best of the best as selected by you: the 10 most widely read Microsoft Research Connections blogs of 2013.
Number 10: New cloud computing training for researchers worldwide (opens in new tab)
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Today’s data-intensive scientific research requires vast computing power—just what cloud computing provides. So no wonder a blog that announces free training on using Windows Azure, Microsoft’s cloud computing platform, got a lot of attention. Did you miss this one? Well, it not too late to take advantage of the two-day training programs we offer at sites around the world. Read more… (opens in new tab)
Number 9: Preserving Latin America’s Wildlife (opens in new tab)
The future is a little brighter for species that are increasingly threatened by habitat destruction and climate change in Latin America. This blog highlights LiveANDES (Advanced Network for the Distribution of Endangered Species), a new tool that enables wildlife biologists, government officials, and citizen scientists to collect, house, and analyze data about Latin America’s wildlife. Read more… (opens in new tab)
Number 8: Computerworld Honors Microsoft Research for Breakthroughs in Pneumonia and HIV (opens in new tab)
Although it is gratifying to receive honors for using technology to promote positive social change, it’s not nearly as rewarding as knowing our research contributes to the fight against two scourges that affect millions around the world. This blog recounts our collaborative efforts towards improving the efficacy of pneumonia vaccinations and perfecting an effective vaccine against HIV infection. Read more… (opens in new tab)
Number 7: Encouraging the next generation of women in computing (opens in new tab)
It’s a sad fact that women students are woefully underrepresented among computer science majors, today comprising only 13 percent of those earning bachelor’s degrees in the field. While we recognize that no single person—or even single organization—can solve this problem, readers of this blog learned that programs like she++, a grassroots community that encourages women’s involvement in computing, just might. Read more… (opens in new tab)
Number 6: Microsoft Research gives promising computer science faculty a boost (opens in new tab)
This might strike a personal chord with many readers: how challenging it is for university faculty to get funding for innovative research—particularly in the early stages of their career. This blog describes how Microsoft Research Faculty Fellowships provide support that helps early-career academics in the field of computer science pursue their vision and make an impact. Read more… (opens in new tab)
Number 5: Windows Azure for Research (opens in new tab)
Remember the cloud computing training covered in our tenth most popular blog? Well, that training is just one part of an extensive initiative to empower researchers to use “cloud power” to tackle Big Data. This blog lays out the entire program, which includes grants, technical resources, and community engagements, as well as the aforementioned training events. Read more… (opens in new tab)
Number 4: Confronting Global Grand Challenges (opens in new tab)
Who can resist a blog whose title promises so much? Granted, it doesn’t promise to solve these challenges (now that would be a blog!), but this post frames the issues and highlights the efforts of a group of talented students to crack six of these grand trials. Plus, it offers wisdom from one of The Black Eyed Peas! Read more… (opens in new tab)
Number 3: Join us in exploring the future of computing—virtually! (opens in new tab)
Another intriguing title, underpinned by an irresistible invitation: to view and even engage in live online interviews with some the world’s foremost academic researchers during the Microsoft Research Faculty Summit. Add the appeal of hearing Bill Gates field questions from the audience about the role of computing in solving global problems, and you’ve got a must-view event promoted in a must-read blog. Read more… (opens in new tab)
Number 2: Kinect Fusion Boosts Kinect for Windows SDK Update (opens in new tab)
Ever since its release, the Kinect for Windows software development kit (SDK) has stimulated researchers’ imaginations and given rise to some outstanding advances in natural user interface (NUI) applications. So it’s no surprise that this blog, which provides information on the latest updates to the SDK, ranked number two on our top-10 list. Read more… (opens in new tab)
Number 1: Try F#—Data Console to Big and Broad Data (opens in new tab)
And here it is: the most widely read Microsoft Research Connections blog of 2013, a crowd pleaser that alerted readers to the latest release of resources that teach users to write F# code in their browser. The popularity of this blog implies that perhaps you should give Try F# a whirl if you haven’t already—and why not? It’s free. Read more… (opens in new tab)
There you are—our top-10 list for 2013. I hope you’ve enjoyed our blogs over the past year, and I invite you to stay in touch in 2014 by following us on Twitter (opens in new tab), Facebook (opens in new tab), or Microsoft Research Connections (opens in new tab), or by subscribing to our RSS feed (opens in new tab).
Happy New Year from your friends at Microsoft Research Connections!
—Lisa Clawson, Senior Manager, Microsoft Research Connections
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