REU SITE: Data Science Research for Safe, Sustainable and Healthy Communities

研究型本科体验(REU)课程为学生提供在WPI计算机科学系进行跨学科研究的机会，特别是在数据科学项目中，重点关注网络安全、医疗保健和可持续发展方面的社会挑战-所有这些相互关联的问题都具有关键的国家重要性。21世纪的城市，包括伍斯特市及其周边社区，受到许多城市挑战的困扰，从污染到交通拥堵。该项目将通过支持数据驱动的政策制定来推动增强公民和组织能力的愿景。我们将为来自代表性不足群体的本科生提供独特的教育研究体验，让他们参与项目，通过这些项目，他们通过数据科学应对关键的社会挑战。通过让学生有机会将他们的教育应用于提高社区中个人的生活质量，我们将向他们展示数据科学在现实世界中的力量。这将激发他们在这一重要的STEM学科上继续深造的兴趣，从而为STEM劳动力和美国经济繁荣做出贡献。尽管数据科学被公认为STEM的关键技能集标准，但它的本科生研究机会有限。我们REU项目的目标是通过让未被充分代表的本科生参与数据科学研究来填补这一空白，以解决我们社区面临的最关键的问题：从网络安全和安全分析，到数据驱动的医疗保健和可持续性。REU的参与者将在WPI教师顾问和研究生的指导下，在跨学科的研究团队中工作，并在整个暑期拥有一个项目的所有权。学生将学习和应用数据科学技术，从数据挖掘、数据库、机器学习、统计学习到商业智能。为了辅助学生的教育和研究技能发展，每周将举办一系列关于专业发展的研讨会，涵盖研究探索、数据解释和可视化、科学写作、沟通技能、以及数据科学提供的职业机会等主题。在项目结束时，学生将以类似会议的形式通过口头演示来展示他们的成果。通过赋予学生通过数据科学解决社区紧迫问题的能力，学生将被迫在数据科学领域寻求更高的学位和有前途的职业。

This Research Undergraduate Experience (REU) program provides students the opportunity to perform interdisciplinary research in WPI's Department of Computer Science and in particular in the Data Science program focusing on societal challenges in cyber security, healthcare, and sustainability - all interlinked concerns of critical national importance. Cities in the 21st century, including the City of Worcester and its surrounding communities, are plagued by many urban challenges from pollution to traffic congestion. This project will drive the vision of empowering citizens and organizations by supporting data-driven policy making. We will provide a unique educational research experience for undergraduate students from under-represented groups by exposing them to projects through which they tackle critical societal challenges via data science. By giving students the opportunity to apply their education toward improving the quality of life for individuals in their community, we will show them the power of data science in the real world. This will pique their interest in pursuing further education in this important STEM discipline, thus contributing to the STEM workforce and the US economic prosperity. There are limited undergraduate research opportunities in Data Science despite its recognition as a critical STEM skill set criteria. The goal of our REU program is to fill this gap by engaging underrepresented undergraduate students in data science research in solving the most critical problems faced by our communities: from cyber-security and safety analytics, to data-driven healthcare, and sustainability. REU participants will work in interdisciplinary research teams, mentored by WPI faculty advisors and graduate students, and have ownership of a project for the duration of their summer. The students will learn about and apply data science techniques from data mining, data bases, machine learning, statistical learning, to business intelligence. To supplement the educational and research skill development of students, a weekly seminar series on professional development covering topics such as research inquiry, data interpretation and visualization, scientific writing, communication skills, to career opportunities afforded by data science will be held. At the conclusion of the program, students will present their results via an oral presentation in a conference-like format. By empowering students to solve pressing problems in their communities via data science, students will be compelled to seek advanced degrees and promising careers in data science.