Advanced data analytics training for behavioral and social sciences research

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Abstract Objectives: The Advanced Data Analytics Program To (ADAPT) will enhance behavioral and social sciences research, by training a diverse next generation of data scientists who will learn interdisciplinary skills needed for successful careers in behavioral and social sciences health-related data science. Rationale: San Diego is a hub for genomics, mobile technology, behavioral health research and data science in Southern California, yet no data science curriculum for behavioral scientists currently exists. The ADAPT program will fill this gap and intersect the areas of health sciences, informatics, computer science, and statistics in Southern California. Design: ADAPT will educate doctoral students in the behavioral and social sciences to build and further expand an ecosystem for big data analytics that promotes finding, accessing, interoperating, and reusing digital objects and responsibly computing with human subjects’ data in cloud environments. The ADAPT program will be based at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), with faculty collaborators from San Diego State University. It will be based on two joint doctoral programs (JDPs) at these universities (Clinical Psychology and Public Health/Behavioral Health). Dual mentoring by faculty with expertise in behavioral and social sciences and computer science, biomedical informatics, or statistics will ensure a truly interdisciplinary focus that will cover team science and responsible conduct of research. Key Activities: Trainees will gain expertise through coursework, research experience during rotations and external internships, mentoring and other activities. Existing data science courses were selected for the curriculum, which will also include a new course in cloud-based human subjects’ data computing. Through individualized development plans, ADAPT trainees will work with their faculty mentors to tailor the curriculum and career paths according to students’ interests and skills. Data science coursework will utilize elective course slots in the JDP curricula, will typically be completed in years 1 and 2 of the JDPs. They will provide the foundational knowledge needed for academic and industry rotations and for the start of the trainees’ research phase. Projected Number of Trainees: 6 first or second year JDP students Planned Duration of Appointments: 3 years, renewed annually based on good academic standing Intended Trainee Outcomes: Metrics for success will include number and quality of publications, and rate of academic milestone completion. Trainees who complete the ADAPT program will possess the scientific knowledge needed to be a behavioral health data scientist, understand ethical and regulatory aspects of computing with protected health information, and will become critical members of scientific teams working in academia, government, for-profit and non-profit research institutions.