Last fall, Missouri State rolled out a bachelor’s program in data science. Faculty from the math department and the computer science department collaborated to bring this interdisciplinary program to life.

We sat down with Dr. William Bray, head of the mathematics department, Dr. Ajay Katangur, head of the computer science department, and Dr. Jamil Saquer, professor of computer science, to learn more about this program, which they describe as a great fit for students who are interested in math, technology and creative problem solving.

Q&A

Academic Expressions: How did the idea for this program come about?

William Bray: It was clear that a data science program was needed. We heard this from industry contacts. There was also a report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, which articulated the need for this kind of workforce training.

Ajay Katangur: Our computer science advisory board has consistently voiced support for data science training. Based on that feedback, we created a class. The class was successful, and our advisory board encouraged us to create a full program. Bill [Bray] and I then talked about the potential.

WB: And in the course of that conversation, we were able to lay the foundation.

Jamil Saquer: There are faculty in both departments who have expertise in data science, and we have good relationships with each other. When we had the opportunity to create this program, we were ready.

AE: When you heard this feedback from the industry, were people expressing a need for more data science training because they were having trouble hiring candidates with those skills?

All: Yes.

Collaborating to Create the Program

AE: Was there any question about making the program interdisciplinary?

JS: Data science is, by its nature, interdisciplinary. It requires students to know programming, machine learning, artificial intelligence and statistics. Data scientists must have knowledge of both computer science and mathematics.

AE: Were there any challenges with creating an interdisciplinary program?

AK: No. We established a committee with equal representation from both departments — three faculty members from mathematics, three from computer science. They worked together to analyze the best, established data science programs and used their analysis to create guidelines for our program. We weren’t just going to create something and put the name “data science” on it. We held ourselves to the highest standards.

JS: And we consistently sought input from contacts in the industry.

AE: Did the program require additional faculty?

AK: We didn’t need to hire a single faculty member.

JS: We already had people in place who have expertise in data science, so we had the knowledge we needed.

AE: It sounds like there were four keys to making this happen. First, you could clearly articulate the need for the program. Established relationships between departments supported good collaboration. You implemented a thoughtful development process, and you already had the necessary resources — specifically, existing faculty with expertise in data science.

WB: Yes, definitely.

Preparing Students for the Workforce

AE: What skills do students learn in this program?

JS: We teach students to gain insight from data. Organizations have significant amounts of data, and they need employees who know how to find meaning in that data. You might have data that, on its surface, doesn’t make sense or doesn’t tell a clear story. You might ask, “What’s hidden in this data?” or “What can it reveal about how to improve my business?” A data scientist can provide that insight, and this is what we’re training students to do.

Around Campus…

The All School Exhibition, which showcases the artistic talents of local K–12 students, has been a Springfield tradition since 1932. Because the Springfield Art Museum is currently undergoing a renovation, Missouri State’s department of art and design stepped up and offered Brick City as a temporary home for this exhibition.

Jodi McCoy, director of exhibitions for the department of art and design, says, “Enriching our long-standing relationship with the Springfield Art Museum, we look forward to weaving together our shared missions to engage the public and encourage our communities to participate and appreciate the importance of arts education and honor the accomplishments of Springfield’s youngest artists.”

The All School Exhibition is on view at Brick City from February 28–April 6.