Data Science NSF REU Program - 'Interdisciplinary Data Science Research for Safe, Sustainable and Healthy Communities.'
The Data Science Program was awarded an NSF REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) grant to sponsor 10 bright students from across the country for 10 weeks of intensive research. The students, chosen from hundreds of impressive applicants, work in teams with WPI faculty and graduate students. They learn state-of-the-art data science techniques and technologies and apply them to ongoing research focused on societal challenges in 'smart and connected' communities. These include healthcare, sustainability, security and mobility; all interlinked concerns of critical national importance.
Data Scientists are being called the Rock Stars of the Tech World whose role is fast becoming the most sought after career in the technology world. Google, Facebook, Amazon and LinkedIn use data scientists to help them maintain that innovative edge in the digital data era. Data and technology enthusiasts are aspiring to become data scientists in the same way some musicians aspire to become rock stars.
Thee REU students have an amazing opportunity to learn from the best here at WPI. The culmination of their summer research studies is an Open Poster Session to be held during the final week of the program, and, where appropriate, at scholarly venues and conferences.
It isn't all work and no play for the students who are housed on campus at WPI. Weekends are their own and they've explored the Boston Aquarium, the Revere Beach International Sand Sculpting Festival, the best foodie spots and even gone white water rafting.
REU 2017 Students Have Tremendous Success!
Cole and Apoorva
During the final days of the Data Science REU Program, student research teams prepare posters of their work and compete in a poster competition at WPI. The winning Team/Poster is nominated for admission to the CUR Symposium where they present and defend their poster to attendees and act student ambassadors of the WPI Data Science REU.
This year, we proudly to sponsored the winning REU 2017 Team of Apoorva Nori and Cole Polychronis, who presented their winning poster at the CUR Symposium on October 22 and 23. Apoorva Nori, NYU and Cole Polychronis, Westminster College, UT, titled their work, "Turning Design Artifacts into Assets: Capturing and Analyzing User Interaction in Web-based Data." They worked with Professor Lane Harrison, among others, on this significant work.
Cole, Professor Harrison and Apoorvi
This was CUR's 7th Research Experience for Undergraduates Symposium. It features student posters, a graduate school recruitment fair, and for faculty and students, a professional development workshop. This year's CUR was held at the Westin Alexandria in Alexandria, Virginia, near the site of the new National Science Foundation.
Kate Finnerty Presents at WISH-2017
Kate Finnerty at WISH-2017
Kate Finnerty, a student at Amherst College in Massachusetts, was a wonderful addition to the Data Science 2017 REU site. Kate's project was titled, "Comparing Qualitative Evaluation Methods for Improving User Engagement with Mobile Health Applications," and her mentors were WPI Computer Science Professor Carolina Ruiz, Bengisu Tulu, Qiaoyu Liao, Jessica Oleski, and Sherry Pagoto.
Kate was nominated to present her research poster at this year's workshop on Interactive Systems in Healthcare (WISH), in conjunction with the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) 2017 Annual Symposium, November 4-8, in Washington DC.
Kate presented their work very well, beyond anyone’s expectation for any undergraduate student.
Congratulations Kate!!