Collaborative Research: HDR DSC: Delaware and Mid-Atlantic Data Science Corps

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Data science is having an enormous impact on society and the economy. As the field of data science evolves, there is an increasing need for a qualified and diverse set of professionals with skills in data science. The Delaware and Mid-Atlantic Data Science Corps network will bring together three partner institutions from the Delaware Valley, the University of Delaware (UD), Delaware State University (DSU), and Lincoln University (LU). The resulting network will strengthen and promote interdisciplinary training in foundational and applied data science, both in the classroom and in projects with internal researchers and external collaborations. This project will provide equitable pedagogical opportunities in data science across students’ backgrounds, resources, and lived experiences, focusing on inclusion of student populations traditionally underrepresented in STEM. The program will offer traditional (classroom-based) and active (participatory workshops and research experiences) opportunities providing job-ready skills to students, including training in the ethics of data science, visualization and communication, and collaborative skills. Each year of the program will focus on a different area of data-intensive pedagogy and research selected to be maximally relevant to one of the three partnering institutes, maximizing student engagement and empowering each institute to contribute domain expertise and data to support hands-on research opportunities for in-classroom and out-of-classroom activities. DSU and LU, two Historically Black Colleges and Universities with growing interests in data science, will leverage UD’s established portfolio of pedagogical and research initiatives in data science throughout the program to develop independent data science initiatives. A modular approach will be used that will allow the program to meet the needs of students at any point of their career path, regardless of previous exposure to data science and STEM. Coding and Stats Bootcamps will be offered to the uninitiated. Data science foundational classes will level the playing field and offer all students basic skills. Master Classes will enable participatory discussion and hands-on training in ethics, collaboration skills, and scientific communication, and facilitate engagement with external partners. Topical advanced classes and research opportunities will complete the program.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.