Data Science

Data Science

 

Data Ignites Our World.

WPI offers degree programs at the undergraduate level (BS) and STEM designated degree programs at the graduate level in Data Science (MS, MS Online, and Ph.D.). 

The Data Science Program prepares WPI students with the skills to understand, apply, and develop models, algorithms and statistical techniques to gather datasets, draw new insights from that data, and formulate appropriate action plans. 

With its long history of research in big data management, artificial intelligence, statistics, and visual analytics, WPI is one of a handful of universities ready to prepare graduates for the challenges of this rapidly expanding field. This interdisciplinary program brings together a trifecta of faculty mentors from computer science, mathematics, and business. Combined with our community of student scholars from all over the world, we have a team of visionary leaders, scholars, and teachers prepared to contribute important insights that will change the way we live, how we work, and our interaction with the world around us.

Data Scientists are in high demand. With plenty of opportunity, we ask: What will you do with your Data Science degree?

Elke Rundensteiner
Technological advances in devices, software, networking, and other technologies have given rise to digital data rich in variety, volume, velocity, and complexity.
  • Elke Rundensteiner
  • Founding Head, Data Science Program

 


 

Professional & Career Development Offerings

Preview NRT CEDAR Students 2023
Preview NRT CEDAR_Linear Economy
Preview NRT CEDAR_Circular Economy
2021871 NRT-HDR: Data-Driven Sustainable Engineering for a Circular Economy

NRT Research Traineeship | Circular Economy & Data Analytics Engineering Research for Sustainability

CEDAR seeks to transform the next generation of technical leaders equipped with DS techniques and methods ready to solve critical engineering and science problems plaguing our society by replacing Linear Economy with a sustainable Circular Economy.

Preview MQP PPD 2022
Preview Undergraduate Research Projects Showcase
Preview URPS Showcase
Preview URPS Showcase_NFL
Preview URPS Showcase Draft Kings
Major Qualifying Project (MQP) Senior Showcase

Undergraduate Research Projects Showcase (URPS)

A celebration of research, design, and creative theses—a requirement of every graduating senior through the Major Qualifying Project—takes place each spring on campus. Student teams representing all academic departments present their work to their faculty advisors, external sponsors, and the community-at-large, and the public is invited.

Preview 2024 wids
Preview Wids Group Photo
Preview
Women in Data Science (WiDS)

WiDS Central Massachusetts Annual Conference & Global Datathon Competition

Women in Data Science (WiDS) Central Massachusetts is an independent event hosted at WPI as part of the annual WiDS Worldwide conference, the WiDS Datathon, and an estimated 200 WiDS Regional Events worldwide.  Everyone is invited to attend the WiDS conference and WiDS Datathon Workshop events which feature outstanding women doing outstanding work.

This one-day technical conference provides an opportunity to hear about the latest data science-related research and applications in a number of domains, and to connect with others in the field.

Preview DS REU Showcase
Preview Data Science REU Students
Preview Data Science REU Students go to the WooSox!
NSF Research Experience for Undergraduate Students

Data Science REU Summer Program

The Data Science Program at WPI, sponsored by the National Science Foundation, offers a 10-week, all-expenses paid Research Experience in Data Science for undergraduate students. The WPI Data Science program has successfully operated this site since 2016 and offers students from geographically diverse institutions around the country access to vibrant scientific research projects and undergraduate mentorship.

 


 

Highlights and Achievements

Projects and Awards

AI

WPI's new artificial intelligence master's program to focus on ethics, innovation

Elke Rundensteiner, The William Smith Dean's Professor in Computer Science and founding head of WPI's new master's degree program in AI, spoke with Spectrum News 1 about the university's unique depth of expertise in the field and its aim to satisfy high demand for AI-related jobs. 

test image

Elke Rundensteiner Receives the Prestigious IEEE Test-of-Time Award for Groundbreaking Visual Data Analytics Work

Elke Rundensteiner, the William Smith Dean’s Professor in Computer Science and Founding Head of WPI’s Data Science Program, recently received the InfoVis 20-Year Test-of-Time Award from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) for her pioneering work on data visualization and visual analytics in 2003. 

Founding Head Elke Rundensteiner

Power and Risks of Using AI in Healthcare Applications

April 17. 2023 

Worcester Business Journal 

Diagnosing AI: Healthcare community excited, wary of artificial intelligence 

by Isabel Tehan

AudiBERT

Researchers Develop Novel Technology to Screen Voice Recordings for Depression

April 26, 2022

Elke Rundensteiner and Colleagues Use Deep Learning to Tackle Mental Health Ailments

Data Science Project, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

$2.8 Million to Help Soldiers Suffering from Traumatic Brain Injury

September 24, 2018

The project, funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), aims to use “smartphone biomarkers” and machine learning to create an early warning system for soldiers and veterans who may be suffering from traumatic brain injuries and infectious diseases.

computer football player
WPI MQP Team Partners with the NFL

Predicting NFL Player Performance

Students analyzed whether data collected during the league’s main scouting event could accurately predict how wide receivers performed during real games

 


 

Student Spotlight

Meet Our DS Students

Alexandria Sheehan ‘24
Alexandria Sheehan ‘24
BS, Economic Science, minor in Data Science

A varsity softball player, Alex loves getting involved with the WPI community and appreciates the opportunities of project-based learning[...]

read more
Nixon Showalter '26
Nixon Showalter '26
BS in Computer Science and Data Science

Nixon thrives in WPI’s community-focused environment through group project work and from inspiring professors. He not only gets involved with student activities but also gives back to the community. [...]

read more
Jack Adiletta '25
Jack Adiletta '25
BS in Electrical & Computer Engineering and Data Science

WPI’s expansive opportunities allow Jack to participate in many different sporting activities while also supporting his learning and research endeavors. [...]

read more

 


 

Alumni

Meet Our DS Graduates

Yao-Chun Hsieh, Software Engineer at Wayfair

DS 501 taught by Professor Paffenroth is one of the best courses I have taken at WPI.
The curriculum is flexible and provides students the opportunity to grow their skills based on their interest or their ideal job.
You also learn ways of communicating with your teammates, dealing with conflicts, and schedule/time management skills. All of this helped me to fit into the real world quickly and smoothly.

Yang Tao, Retail marketing team, strategy & operation analyst, contractor for Google

During my course of study, I could choose different classes in areas like AI, machine learning, Big Data, and business intelligence. I learned database (sql), data processing and analysis (python), data reporting (tableau). Each course benefited me during my job hunting, as I talked about my projects in the different courses to match different roles and job descriptions. Through my graduate qualifying project (capstone), I also learned new techniques/methods/software to solve data related problems, while improving my public speaking and communication skills.

Alexander Shoop, Software Engineer at DataRobot

The Data Science graduate program has taught me the necessary fundamentals of machine learning and pragmatic data science projects through teamwork. Personally, it has also allowed me to use my creative talent, especially with regards to presentations and video demonstrations. I would absolutely recommend the Data Science program (undergraduate, graduate, and PhD) to any of my friends and colleagues! The program emphasizes team collaboration and working towards having a diverse skill set to handle any kind of data science scenario.

Mukund Khandelwal, Quantitative Associate at Wells Fargo

The overall graduate experience involved collaborating with students coming from different academic and cultural backgrounds. Through this experience, I learned how a problem could be approached from multiple angles and solved effectively.

Chen Liang, Data Scientist at Burning Glass

This program starts from a fundamental base and keeps upgrading the difficulty, which made me comfortable and built up my confidence and enhanced my skills—and ultimately made me ready to walk into my new job. It has provided such a great way to not only get our hands dirty real quick, but allows us to innovate.

Rosemarie Day, Senior Engineer in Applied Data Science at Collins Aerospace

I greatly enjoyed the GQP, which connected me with a company and a project that I could interact with and develop while finishing my degree. The project work allowed me to grow my skills in more of a corporate environment while still in school. This provided me with insights into how a data science team works outside of the classroom, what expectations would be set, and also allowed me to work alongside both other students and industry professionals.

Xiao-Qun Wang, Software Development Engineer at Amazon

I learned the data eco-system from both academic and industrial perspective in the Data Science program. The graduate qualifying project (capstone) gave me  exposure in industry. It not only helped me to learn the foundation of industrial core tech, but also how to build good relationships both with the company and other developers. 

Chenjie Jiang, Data Scientist at Burning Glass

The high flexibility for course selections gave me a strong background in data science, engineering, and business. I can create my own learning path, based on my career plan. The program also offers interesting colloquium and conversations. WPI is a good place if someone wants to dive into the data science world.

Preview
Alumni Success Story

Manasi Vartak '10

Manasi Vartak '10 founded Verta to help companies build AI-enabled products faster than ever.

 


 

WPI Data Science

Latest Program News and Highlights

University News

See More News

Facts & Figures


#5

Best Online Master’s in Data Science Programs

(Fortune, 2022)
#14

best career placement

The Princeton Review (2023)
#63

Best National Universities

U.S. News & World Report (2022 rankings)