January 7, 2019

water data challenge participantsOur Discovery Program is rolling out an exciting set of new projects this semester, offering data science students opportunities to contribute to a range of initiatives, from boosting the UN humanitarian efforts through data collaboration, to minimizing the ills of Bay Area traffic, to fighting pests destroying crops in Sub-Saharan Africa.

“The Discovery Program is moving into a new stage, offering the chance to work with a variety of external partners along with the amazing researchers on campus,” said Anthony Suen, Director of Programs for the Division of Data Sciences. “We’re scaling up for even greater reach and impact.”

The Data Science Discovery Program connects undergraduates with hands-on, team-based opportunities to contribute to cutting-edge data research projects. Hundreds of students have participated in dozens of projects since the Discovery Program launched in Spring 2015, and the program continues to grow. This semester, the Program encompasses more than 40 projects.

Promising Discovery projects can have the potential to grow into larger, longer term efforts in the Berkeley data science ecosystem, Suen said. “Many of these Discovery projects have the opportunity to become larger-scale Data Collaborative efforts that bring together stakeholders from campus, government, and industry to develop robust platforms and technical solutions that use data for social impact.”

Learn more here.