Introduction to Data Systems and Data Design

In this course, we will focus on data and the methods to model, organize, manage, and process data at scale using modern data systems. We will begin with data modeling—how to describe and model data, how to query it, and understand its logical semantics and properties. Next, we will explore ways to process and manage data, both relationally and using more flexible frameworks. Additionally, we will cover practical design principles such as schema design, integrity constraints, and an introduction to data management systems that help us understand performance and speed of data processing.

• Date: Monday/Wednesday
• Time: 01:30 pm - 02:50 pm
• Place: JCL 011
• Contact: Ce Zhang (cez@uchicago.edu)
• Textbook: Database Systems: The Complete Book (Jennifer Widom, Héctor García-Molina, Jeffrey Ullman)
  • We also frequently draw inspirations from Foundations of Databases: The Logical Level (Serge Abiteboul, Richard Hull, Victor Vianu); it is not mandatory for this course, but it is another amazing book for understanding data in general

Syllabus & Materials (Might Change Slightly)

Lecture(id, date, title, materials)