Fern Halper is director of TDWI Research for advanced analytics, focusing on predictive analytics, social media analysis, text analytics, cloud computing, and other “big data” analytics approaches. She has more than 20 years of experience in data and business analysis, and has published numerous articles on data mining and information technology. Halper is co-author of “Dummies” books on cloud computing, hybrid cloud, service-oriented architecture, and service management, and is currently completing Big Data for Dummies (to be published in April 2013). She has been a partner at industry analyst firm Hurwitz & Associates and a lead analyst for AT&T Bell Labs. Her Ph.D. is from Texas A&M University.