Message to Purdue community from the Integrative Data Science Initiative

Nearly one year ago, Purdue University set the vision to establish Purdue at the forefront of data science and convened working groups in both research and education to advance the effort. The groups hosted four campus-wide forums during Fall 2017, and approximately 180 faculty and staff attendees contributed significant input regarding research, application and educational directions. From the inputs received, the working groups recommended three action points for Purdue’s Integrative Data Science Initiative:

1. Support structured research efforts in data science theory and fundamentals, data-driven discovery, and data science applications.

2. Establish a Data Science Education Ecosystem that incorporates data science across campus with the goal that every undergraduate complete her or his studies with relevant professional skills in data science.

3. Create a physical presence for IDSI with the goal of promoting creative collaboration through proximity and physical interaction.

What has happened

Much has been already accomplished to advance the initiative:

* On March 18, 2018, Discovery Park, the Office of the Provost, and the Office of Research and Partnerships issued a call for research proposals in data science in the areas of health care; defense; ethics, society and policy; and fundamentals, methods and algorithms. A total of 52 teams with 172 faculty spanning 10 colleges and 48 departments submitted proposals of which eight were selected for funding by IDSI. The funded projects will all be underway by the start of Fall 2018.

* In March 2018, the Office of the Provost issued a call for proposals to advance the Data Science Education Ecosystem across campus. A total of 42 multidisciplinary proposals involving a wide range of academic units were received. Nine projects were selected for funding and will be underway starting Fall 2018. The funded projects include 37 faculty from 22 departments in 10 colleges.

* Starting in April 2018, a Data Science Steering Committee, composed of representatives from each college and chaired by the dean of the College of Science, Patrick Wolfe, has been meeting and working to advance and coordinate data science research, education and infrastructure efforts across the campus.

* As of July 1, 2018, Sunil Prabhakar, professor of computer science, assumed the role of director of IDSI. Prabhakar was most recently head of the Department of Computer Science. Beginning in Fall 2018, Catherine Hill, professor of entomology and vector biology, and Mark Ward, professor of statistics, will serve as associate directors of IDSI.

* The Data Mine, a living learning community that connects data science to the disciplinary areas on campus via real-world research and project work, will kick off in Fall 2018 with a pilot group of 100 students living in Hillenbrand Hall. Plans are in place to grow the Data Mine to a target of 800 students with participation from approximately 50 faculty from all colleges by the Fall 2019. Mark Ward is leading the Data Mine effort.

* The IDSI website is up and running.

* A wide range of work is underway in building educational content that crosses nearly all of our colleges.

• Some work is foundational. For example, faculty from Political Science, Statistics, Industrial Engineering and Philosophy are collaborating to build modular content in ethics, data integrity and data analysis that can be incorporated into a wide range of courses across campus.
• Faculty from Electrical Engineering, Libraries and Philosophy are partnering via the College of Engineering's Data Mind to develop three interlocking, modular, one-credit courses that introduce the 1) ethics of data collection/use, 2) data analysis methods, and data organization/management. The interlocking modular course structure offers maximum flexibility to allow a diverse set of students to incorporate the courses into their curriculum. Faculty from English are working with data scientists to teach students how to write and tell the story of the data within a professional writing context.
• Other work is focused at the intersection of data science and disciplines such as molecular microbiome coursework or new course modules that enable students in nutrition courses to access, analyze and interpret national human nutritional data sets.
• Existing programs in Data Science, Data Visualization, Business Analytics, and Cybersecurity continue to recruit and grow.

* We are working with the Office of Corporate and Global Partnerships, academic units, and research centers to increase data science research and education collaborations with business and industry.

What will be happening

Significant planning is underway on additional activities and programs to advance the vision for data science at Purdue and all faculty, staff and students are encouraged to get involved:

* IDSI will seek to bring thought leaders in data science theory and fundamentals, applications, education and data-driven discovery to campus through a Data Science Distinguished Lecture Series. Since data science touches disciplines across campus, we expect to partner with academic units and centers to enhance Purdue’s reach in attracting key speakers. We welcome your suggestions for speakers.

* The University Core Curriculum Committee will look at the possibility of a data literacy outcome.

* Partnering with, and supporting, ongoing and planned data science-related efforts across Purdue. A number of such activities are already underway; for example, the College of Agriculture’s focus on digital agriculture, the Business Intelligence and Analytics Center in Krannert, the Wabash Heartland Innovation Network project, the development of a new data science professional master's degree in the College of Science, and the Data Mind effort in the College of Engineering.

* In partnership with the College of Science, we are working toward launching a Data Science Consulting Service, similar in spirit and organization to the Statistical Consulting Service.

* Several workshops co-sponsored by IDSI are planned for Fall 2018:

• Deep Learning @ Purdue -- Aug. 16.
• Discovery Park workshop on DoD and DoE funding opportunities in artificial intelligence and quantum information systems -- Sept. 5.
• Innovative Methodologies in the Social, Behavioral and Health Sciences -- Oct. 29-30. Sponsored by the Advanced Methods at Purdue (AMAP) program. Includes a roundtable on the integrity of U.S. elections.

* We will also be starting a monthly “Data Science Coffee Klatch” with short talks from data science research and education project leaders and open discussion of topics of interest. All members of the Purdue community are welcome.

* All faculty, staff and students interested in data science are encouraged to sign up on the IDSI website. We will compile repositories of data science researchers and their interests and projects from those affiliated with IDSI. We also will include affiliates in communications about upcoming lectures, calls for proposals, and other key activities.