Data Scholars

data scholars fall 2019

2019 Data Scholars

About the Program

Data Scholars provides spaces where students from many disciplines and backgrounds learn together, develop their skills in data science, and co-create a diverse community.  Students receive support in introductory data science courses, mentorship, and guidance to excel in the field through course support, project work, community with other Scholars, and pathways to get involved with data science research and teaching.

Data Scholars hold many different identities and come from many different backgrounds that are often underrepresented in the field, including but not limited to low income, first generation college, transfer, re-entry, undocumented, historically underrepresented ethnicity or gender, disabled, foster, and LGBTQA+.

Participation in the program consists of enrollment in 1-unit seminar courses, where Scholars will receive course help, participate in skill-building workshops, and attend technical and career-focused talks from individuals in industry, research, academia, and more.

Four students gathering around a laptop, laughing, at the Spring 2018 semester Data Scholars project showcase.
50 students and visitors listening to a lightning talk presentation at the spring 2018 data scholars project showcase

Program Components

(1) Data 8 Section and Foundations Seminar

[UPDATED 8/7/20] 

The Fall 2020 Data Scholars Foundations program aims to provide a supportive community where students exploring data science for the first time can connect and thrive in smaller group settings. The program is designed for students enrolled in Data-8 and features:

  • enrollment in a 18-person, 1-unit P/NP seminar (either Wednesdays 6-7PM or Thursdays 6-7PM)
  • extended Data-8 discussion section time (60 minutes total)
  • additional office hours for help with assignments, concepts, or general chat about data science
Any student enrolled in or waitlisted for Data-8 in Fall 2020 is encouraged to apply. Data Scholars are selected based on their potential to contribute to the larger Data Scholars community and society in general.

(2) Data Science Pathways Seminar

This course is a 1 unit seminar for students who have finished Data-8 (or equivalent introductory programming and statistics courses) and are considering a future in data science. Pathways students include everyone from people curious to know more about data science outside of Data-8 to students who know they want to major in or work in the field. Pathways meets for one-and-a-half hours, once per week.

In Pathways, students will explore the landscape of real-world data science applications through three main avenues:

  • Self-guided exploration and reflection assignments will empower students to gain desired skills and connections in data science subfields of personal interest.
  • Diverse guest speakers from industry, research, and academia will engage with students on what they do with data science, how they got there, and advice for undergrads today.
  • Workshops led by the instructor and guests will give students valuable professional and technical skills to find and secure relevant internships and research positions.

(3) Data Science Discovery Seminar

This course is a 1 unit seminar for students in the Data Scholars program and the Data Science Discovery program. This seminar meets for 1.5 hours, once per week. 

The course aims to prepare students for professional data science projects and academic research through a combination of hands-on practice, flipped classroom discussions, case studies, and project dialogue. Students may be challenged by the unconventional nature of the course organization, which is meant to deviate from the “right answer” mentality of technical programming courses and approximate the chaotic nature of real data science applications. 

Each student is expected to be working concurrently on a Discovery Project, either through the Discovery Research Program or an alternative group, which qualifies as a significant portfolio piece that the student can use in future academic or professional applications. The course will focus on the student’s progress and reflections on this project both in the technical challenges and interpersonal relationships of the work. The ultimate objective is that the student will be prepared to coordinate a similar project independently after the completion of the course.

Course Features

  • Mentorship and support from the instructor on a weekly basis
  • Academic and professional development support
  • Assistance from instructor and collaboration with peers on the Discovery research project
    • The Discovery research project is designed to be a hands-on application of the data science concepts you’ve learned. Everyone will partner with a faculty member or existing project team and contribute actively to their work
  • Information on how to continue to engage with the Berkeley data science ecosystem

Advisors

Claudia von Vacano
Executive Director of D-Lab and Digital Humanities

Ani Adhikari
Professor, Statistics

a student presenting their research project to another student at the spring 2018 data scholars project showcase

Join us!

Applications for Data Scholars: Foundations are now open for Fall 2020! Applications will close on Wednesday, August 19th at 11:59PM PDT. 


Applications for the Pathways and Discovery seminars have closed for Fall 2020.

Meet the Team

Angela Guan

Foundations Data 8 Lab UGSI

Angela Guan is from San Jose, CA. She is a senior studying data science, and loves Data 8! She took Data 8 in her first semester at Berkeley and has been on course staff ever since. Angela is on the Cal Table Tennis team, and enjoys going to beaches, hiking, traveling, and eating with friends. She is really looking forward to meeting the fall Foundations Scholars!

Caroline Chen

Foundations Data 8 Lab UGSI

Caroline Chen is a senior majoring in Statistics and Data Science. Fall 2020 will be her 6th semester on Data 8 staff, and she is very excited to meet the fall Foundations Scholars! Outside of school and work, Caroline likes to hop on video calls with her friends and watch old movies.

Pelagie Elimbi Moudio

Pathways Seminar Facilitator

Pelagie is a PhD student in the Industrial Engineering and Operations Research department. Her research interest lies in modeling decision support systems to aid agricultural and natural resource management and quantifying the impacts of shocks such as wildfires to these systems. She enjoys baking, travelling and food tasting in her free time.

Abdoul Aziz Sandotin Coulibaly

Discovery Seminar Facilitator

Abdoul Aziz is an incoming Master of Science student in Structural Engineering, Mechanics and Materials at the University of California, Berkeley. His passion lies in the intersection between Engineering and Data Science. That means exploring ways in which Machine Learning and AI can be beneficial in the forecasting and monitoring of buildings' health. In his free time, he likes to bike, read, and swim.

Training Future Data Scientists

Article on the launching of Data Scholars