Describe what your organization does, and how it relates to data science.
The School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences (CDIS) at UW-Madison, launched in 2019, brings together the top-ranked departments of Computer Sciences, Statistics, and the Information School. CDIS is lighting the way forward for research and discovery, magnifying the power of medicine, engineering, agriculture, business and more. The School is educating versatile, multi-talented graduates who form a uniquely prepared talent pipeline driving economic growth in the state, nation and world.
The world increasingly depends on data and computing to produce knowledge and to make decisions, and there is an intense demand from students for these skills. To meet that demand, CDIS has launched a bachelor’s degree in data science, a master’s in data science, and a master’s in data engineering. The data science undergraduate major is one of the fastest-growing programs at UW-Madison.
Why is sponsoring the Research Bazaar important to you?
Data is everywhere, and the ability to use statistical methods effectively and ethically is increasingly vital across research domains. This event is central to broadening our campus data science community and getting Badgers excited about data. In addition, our Department of Statistics has long been an active contributor to both data science and the Research Bazaar. Statistics is the mathematical basis for experimental research and one of the core disciplines of data science.
In what ways do you see data science actively shaping and influencing real-world outcomes within your field or industry?
In education, data science is not only growing rapidly as a field of study, it’s also shaping the ways students learn. Data is being harnessed for more adaptive, personalized learning experiences and to help students, faculty, staff and administrators make more informed decisions. Cutting-edge data science methods are also enabling faculty and students to elevate research in fields such as medicine, genomics, and astronomy. Data is transforming the world of education — in the computer, data, and information sciences but also across countless disciplines.
In what ways does your organization encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing to maximize the impact of data across different departments or teams?
CDIS was founded as a hub of collaboration and knowledge-sharing. Our new building, opening in 2025, will bring together our three departments under one roof, enabling easier and more effective collaboration among students and faculty, connecting statisticians and data scientists with computer and information scientists.
Within CDIS, there are numerous examples of cross-disciplinary collaborations that maximize the power of data. For instance, the Statistical Consulting Group in the Department of Statistics provides faculty, staff, and students at UW-Madison with assistance in all the statistical aspects of research, from project development to publication. We believe collaborations like these can make not just our School but the whole university more data-driven.
Can you share a success story where your organization’s data science efforts had a positive impact on a broader community?
The founding of our data science major in 2020 expanded the influence of data-driven thinking on the UW-Madison campus. As one of the fastest-growing majors at the university, the program has gained over 900 students since its inception. Many of them are double majors, bringing data-savviness with them to courses and projects in other disciplines. Graduates of the program will go on to leverage their data science expertise at leading companies, nonprofits, governments and universities in the Madison community and far beyond.