Discussion on "Techniques for Massive-Data Machine Learning in Astronomy" by A. Gray

Thus, an approach which provides these tools in a way that scales to these datasets is not just desirable, it is vital. The expertise required spans not just astronomy, but also computer science, statistics, and informatics. As a computer scientist and expert in machine learning, Alex’s contribution of expertise and a large number of fast algorithms designed to scale to large datasets, is extremely welcome. We focus in this discussion on the questions raised by the practical application of these algorithms to real astronomical datasets. That is, what is needed to maximally leverage their potential to improve the science return? This is not a trivial task. While computing and statistical expertise are required, so is astronomical expertise. Precedent has shown that, to-date, the collaborations most productive in producing astronomical science results (e.g, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey), have either involved astronomers expert in computer science and/or statistics, or astronomers involved in close, long-term collaborations with experts in those fields. This does not mean that the astronomers are giving the most important input, but simply that their input is crucial in guiding the effort in the most fruitful directions, and coping with the issues raised by real data. Thus, the tools must be