DJ Patil is a tech veteran who changed the Silicon Valley into something better. His work with companies like Skype and PayPal changed the way the popular sites operated and how we operate with one another. So, it makes sense that the U.S. government would hire Patil as its first chief data scientist.
The White House announced in a blog post on Wednesday that it had hired DJ Patil as the Chief Data Scientist and Deputy Chief Technology Officer for Data Policy.
It isn't surprising that Patil was the White House's choice for Chief Data Scientist. Patil was instrumental in codifying the way we use data science today. He's also worked with the government before, when he advised the Department of Defense on how it should track social media activity to spot potential threats.
According to the White House Chief Tech Officer Megan Smith, Patil would "help shape policies and practices to help the US remain a leader in technology and innovation" as well as "responsibly maximize the nation's return on its investment in data." In other words, Patil will play a key part in helping government offices use data in an effective manner.
Patil's appointment came after former CTO Todd Park moved to California last year to find the best tech people to assist the government. On top of Park hiring Patil for the government, Park also hired ex-VMWare executive Tony Scott for the company's chief information officer position.
Why is this relevant? According to the Verge, the Obama administration has had some difficulties hiring strong tech talent to help it with projects, and some hope that Patil's appointment is a sign of a better era of tech development for the government.
