University hosts 'Data Science Day,' encouraging students to explore the field

The University hosted its second annual “Data Science Day” on Thursday in the Great Hall of the UNC Student Union. Students and data science researchers attended the event to hear about how data science is applicable to research and to network with industry professionals.

Some speakers at the event showcased new ways of working with data science, featuring work that dealt with topics including microeconomics, climate resilience and homelessness. 

Joyce Tan, interim director of cross-sector partnerships in the School of Data Science and Society, talked about the purpose of a data-centered event.

Tan said she hopes that students learned about all the ways they can utilize data science in their career aspirations, saying that the event was organized to appeal to many individuals. She said that the beginning of the day was for researchers on campus, adding that students are always welcome to learn more about research, as many are interested in the field as a career.

Keynote speaker Phaedra Boinodiris, IMB's consulting global leader for trustworthy AI, spoke about about how to use machine learning responsibly in the world of data science. Other speakers contributed insights surrounding the impact of data science on their individual endeavors and on societal well-being.  

Opening keynote speaker, Hsun-Ta Hsu, an associate professor in the School of Social Workwho also contributes to the School of Data Science and Society, shared how his research analyzes the implications of using AI to address societal disparities and improve systems. His specific work targets the issue of homelessness with the utilization of quantitative and qualitative data. 

“It’s not about only doing coding, but put your eyes in the society and see, really see, how the data science piece that you’re learning in the school can create change to the whole society, to the local community, or to, you know, addressing issues that they’re passionate about,” Hsu said. 

Asmita Nayak, a sophomore looking to double major in data science and business, said she went to Data Science Day to network and look for internship opportunities.

“I really want to network with other companies and other clubs because I’m looking for internships. I think that it would be really beneficial to see what different companies are offering me, especially since I’m double majoring in business, I want to see what company caters to the majors as well,” Nayak said.  

Nayak is hoping to go into finance technology with her majors and said she believes data science pairs nicely with business and is a continuously growing field.

The poster session, one of the Data Science Day's events, provided students with the ability to connect with organizations that support data science research. Rishi Narayanan, a sophomore double majoring in business and data science, was promoting the Carolina Data Challenge and encouraging more students to register.

CDC, UNC’s weekend-long data science hackathon, is an opportunity for all levels of participants to work on data science projects, interact with sponsors at the sponsorship fair and attend workshops to learn new data science skills. Narayanan said it’s also a great way for students to network with companies and get internships or full-time opportunities.

“The main thing that we are trying to achieve on the Data Science Day is to really bring together a lot of different people who are really interested in working with data scientists, or people who are working on data science,” Tan said. 

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