Title: Data Science Student Lightening Talks
Presenter(s): Trace Freeman, Jacob Haarala, Hayden McDonald, Lydia Sloan, Benjamin Zamzow, and Karl Schubert
Date: November 17, 2021
Description
During this webinar we will hear from five of data science students working in the Education Research Theme.
- Overview Discussion, presented by Dr. Karl Schubert
- Course Equivalency Project, presented by Hayden McDonald
- Continuous Improvement: DASC First-Year First-Semester Courses, presented by Jacob Haarla
- Continuous Improvement: DASC First-Year Second-Semester Courses, presented by Trace Freeman
- Building a Foundation in Data Science Using Hard Skills and Research, presented by Lydia Sloan
- Case Study and Data Science Practicum Development for Data Science Majors, presented by Benjamin Zamzow
Hayden McDonald, DART UGRA, will present on the “Course Equivalence Project” and demonstrate how and where to find the relative course equivalence files, provide an example of course equivalence, and discuss what has been worked on thus far this semester.
Jacob Haarala, DART UGRA, will present, “Data Science Continuous Improvement: Fall 2020 Semester.” Harrala will give a perspective on the DASC 1001 and 1104 First Year Data Science classes that took place during the Fall 2020. Harrala will discuss the overall successes and present proposed improvements; including Covid-related adjustments that needed to be made, and the fact that all the classes were brand new, there are iterative changes that could be made to continue the momentum of the direction the program has been heading in so far.
Trace Freeman, DART UGRA, will present “Iterative Improvement: Improving DASC Classes at UARK” – a look at how to improve the First Year Data Science program at the University of Arkansas. In order to improve the First Year Data Science program, student feedback was taken and compiled to propose revisions to courses including changes to course pacing, workload, and lecture topics. Because proposals were made for courses designed to be taken by first year data science students, many of the changes were meant to better prepare students for their subsequent years at the university and to help them to select a concentration area. Course instructors were then given presentations on the proposed changes so that they could discuss and implement them.
Lydia Sloan, DART UGRA, will present “Building a Foundation in Data Science Using Hard Skills and Research.” Lydia’s work centers around helping incoming students build foundations while entering the data science program through the acquisitions of hard skills and research. She worked in DataCamp using her beginner’s perspective to help students understand more of their initial courses in programming as well as what is expected of them when researching and building case studies.
Benjamin Zamzow, DART GRA, will present “Case Study and Data Science Practicum Development for Data Science Majors” – a presentation that focuses on the work being done to develop case studies for the Social Problems (Issues) in Data Science and Analytics course which aims to highlight the unintentional consequences of data analytics on society. This presentation will also focus on the work being done to develop the curriculum for the Data Science Practicum courses. The development of the Data Science Practicum courses aims to not only provide undergraduate data science students with the opportunity to collaborate with industry partners to conduct real-world data projects, but also aims to create a standardized curriculum that can be implemented in multiple post-secondary institutions in Arkansas.
Presenter Bios
Hayden McDonald, DART UGRA, is a second-year Honor’s student in the Data Science program at the University of Arkansas. He is pursuing a concentration in Geospatial Analytics. During his time with DART he has been compiling a spreadsheet of data science course equivalencies for colleges in Arkansas and abroad. In his free time, McDonald enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, and fishing.
Jacob Haarala, DART UGRA, is a Data Science major with a concentration in Data Science Statistics. His family currently lives in North Louisiana, but he was born and raised in Appleton, Wisconsin. His initial interest in working with numbers came after watching the movie Moneyball after seeing that one of the characters in that movie used his mathematical knowledge to help the Major League Baseball team he worked for to win games. Haarala notes that he is more of a numbers-oriented person and has a passion for sports – so this seemed like a perfect marriage of his knowledge and skills. His ideal situation after college would be to have a job in sports analytics where he works for a professional sports team in an advisory role, and uses insights gained from the data to help them win games.
Trace Freeman, DART UGRA, is a second-year student at the University of Arkansas pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Data Science with a concentration in Data Science Statistics. Freeman’s interests include social data analytics and environmental research. He received the Eagle Scout award in August of 2017 and enjoys camping, backpacking, and playing the saxophone in the Razorback Marching Band.
Lydia Sloan, DART UGRA, holds an Associate’s Degree in General Business and a Certificate of General Studies. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree in Data Science at the University of Arkansas and wishes to achieve a career in ML/AI. Sloan is a research assistant with the Data Science department at the University of Arkansas under Dr. Karl Schubert’s guidance. She is exploring code as a beginner in STEM and will continue to research new developments for new data science undergraduates. Her hobbies include elaborate mandala paintings and horticulture.
Benjamin Zamzow, DART GRA, is a graduate student in the Master of Science in Economic Analytics program at the University of Arkansas and is working as a research assistant for Dr. Karl Schubert. Benjamin has a B.S. in Biology from Hendrix College and a M.S. in Biology from Tarleton State University (Stephenville, Texas). Zamzow’s work focuses on the development of case studies for the Social Problems (Issues) in Data Science and Analytics course. He is also collaborating with Dr. Schubert to develop, define, and standardize the curriculum for the Data Science Practicum courses for undergraduate data science majors.
Dr. Karl Schubert is a Professor of Practice and Associate Director, Data Science Program, for the College of Engineering, the Sam M. Walton College of Business, and the J. William Fulbright College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Arkansas. His academic research focuses on providing Data Science and Innovation programs for STEM education, and student, faculty and industry data science and innovation engagement. Schubert also serves as a consultant specializing in innovation, entrepreneurship, technology, and organizational optimization for new and ongoing companies. Karl earned his bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the U of A, his master’s in Chemical Engineering from the University of Kentucky, and his Ph.D. in Engineering from the U of A. Karl has been awarded 9 US and International patents and is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (FIET). He also has 35+ years of industry experience including serving as a CIO, CTO, COO, CEO, and Executive Chairman for start-ups, mid-size, and enterprise companies such as IBM, Dell, and Lifetouch.