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

该研究型本科生体验 (REU) 项目为学生提供了在 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 - 所有这些问题都对国家至关重要。 21 世纪的城市，包括伍斯特市及其周边社区，都受到从污染到交通拥堵等许多城市挑战的困扰。 该项目将通过支持数据驱动的政策制定来推动赋予公民和组织权力的愿景。我们将为来自弱势群体的本科生提供独特的教育研究体验，让他们接触通过数据科学应对关键社会挑战的项目。通过让学生有机会运用所受的教育来改善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。这将激发他们继续接受这一重要 STEM 学科教育的兴趣，从而为 STEM 劳动力和美国经济繁荣做出贡献。尽管数据科学被认为是关键的 STEM 技能组合标准，但其本科生研究机会有限。我们 REU 项目的目标是通过让代表性不足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 参与者将在跨学科研究团队中工作，由 WPI 教师顾问和研究生指导，并在暑假期间拥有一个项目的所有权。 学生将学习并应用从数据挖掘、数据库、机器学习、统计学习到商业智能的数据科学技术。为了补充学生的教育和研究技能发展，每周将举办关于专业发展的系列研讨会，涵盖研究探究、数据解释和可视化、科学写作、沟通技巧以及数据科学提供的职业机会等主题。 在课程结束时，学生将以类似会议的形式通过口头报告的形式展示他们的结果。 通过使学生能够通过数据科学解决社区中的紧迫问题，学生将被迫寻求数据科学领域的高级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.