Our commitment to excellence is evident through the expansion and enhancement of our academic offerings. In addition to fortifying our existing undergraduate program in data science and the two master’s programs in DSBA and HIA, along with a certificate program in sports analytics, we are on the brink of introducing a new undergraduate program in sports analytics and an exciting Ph.D. program in data science, both in the final stage of approval.

In the coming year, the School of Data Science will be transitioned into the College of Computing and Informatics. I am energized by the prospect of collaborating with each of you during this transition to maintain the diversity and interdisciplinary nature of the data science discipline and propel the School of Data Science to even greater heights. Together, we will continue enriching our academic programs, fostering and supporting interdisciplinary research collaborations among faculty and with industry, seizing opportunities for excellence and growth, and tackling challenges effectively and collaboratively.

Wishing everyone a joyful, productive, and rejuvenating summer break!

-Dongsong Zhang, Ph.D.

The SDS undergraduate and graduate programs have a rich set of special topic offerings for both summer and fall. Here is the up-to-date list of classes. Please feel free to share this with your students!

The rapid growth of online work and virtual teaming highlights the need for effective leadership training. Drs. George Banks, Wenwen Dou, Eric Heggestad, and Scott Tonidandel received a $692,881 grant from the Army Research Institute to study how to assess and train leaders in virtual contexts. Their project includes developing a model of verbal leader behaviors, validating an AI-enabled feedback system, and evaluating its impact on leadership and team performance through three studies. Dr. Damien Williams discussed AI training challenges in an article on The Walrus, while Dr. Sunil Erevelles won an award for his blockchain research. Dr. Lei Zhu is analyzing Wi-Fi data to improve micro-transit systems with funding from the NCDOT, and Dr. Mahmoud Dinar received an NSF award for developing a data-driven framework for cyber manufacturing, aiming to advance digital design and networked manufacturing in various industries.

If you are a faculty researcher or a company seeking funding and collaboration, we invite you to submit a white paper by June 28. The Laboratory for Analytic Sciences (LAS) at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC, has released its annual call for white papers. We invite potential collaborators interested in working with LAS in 2025 to submit one or more research project ideas for funding consideration. White papers should be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, June 28, 2024.

The objective of the Data Science Corps program is to help build a strong national data science infrastructure and workforce. The Data Science Corps program seeks to engage data science students in real-world data science implementation projects. This engagement will help bridge the data-to-knowledge gap in organizations and communities at all levels, including local, state, and national, and will empower better use of data for more effective decision-making. Data Science Corps participants will be able to sharpen their skills in data science by working on real-world projects focused on specific community needs, including rural communities, urban communities, academia, industry, or government. This partnership between communities and data scientists will serve the nation by helping produce a workforce-ready cohort of data scientists and technologists, who have experience with data science in action in real-world settings. The program welcomes proposals that seek to broaden participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and STEM education.

CustomGPT.ai, a leader in generative AI, invites college and university faculty to participate in its Generative AI Research Grant Program. This program tackles the challenge of limited access to GenAI tools by providing in-kind grants. Selected faculty will receive a free CustomGPT Premium License for up to 6 months, empowering them to explore and develop innovative applications of GenAI within their research or teaching. This program fosters the advancement of knowledge and improved learning experiences through the transformative potential of generative AI.

Find the full SDS Calendar of Events on the program website. 

• June 27 - 28, 2024: No Classes
• July 4, 2024: University Closed
• July 5, 2024: Last Day to Change Grade Type
• July 5 2024: Last Day to Withdraw from Course(s)
• July 9, 2024: Census Date
• August 2, 2024: Last Day of Classes
• August 6 - 7, 2024: Final Examinations
• August 9, 2024: Grades Due by Noon

September 9, 2024 | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. | The Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City

UNC Charlotte, in collaboration with NCBiotech, is hosting “The Biomedical Sciences Symposium: Advancing Frontiers: Exploring New Horizons in Biomedical Sciences” in Uptown Charlotte. This full-day event will bring together the University and Industry to highlight the innovation and translational research in Biomedical Sciences in the region. The symposium will serve as a catalyst for driving forward transformative solutions to pressing health challenges, reinforcing UNC Charlotte’s commitment to excellence in biomedical education and research. Learn about breakthrough discoveries, enjoy interactive panel discussions, network, and more! Watch for further communication on this event and visit our Symposium website to learn more.

Burtch Works is a specialized Data, Analytics, and Technology talent solutions and insights company. They produce an annual survey and report on market trends in the field. They also have a website with all kinds of resources for job seekers.

The NC Technology Association (NC TECH) has unveiled its latest update on the state's IT job landscape through its new, comprehensive IT Job Trends Dashboard.  NC TECH reports continued growth in IT job postings for March, the fourth month in a row. This generally aligns with the Bureau of Labor Statistics report showing overall US job growth. Additionally, a survey by NC TECH found that tech leaders in North Carolina are optimistic about growth in the next quarter, with a majority planning to hire new employees. Read More Here.

The information regarding compensation and support packages for the 2024-2025 academic year has been updated. Please review the provided guidance, including linked resources and policies. Read more here. For any further inquiries, the following key contacts are available:

• Dr. Julie Goodliffe, Assistant Dean for Funding and Research (Graduate School)
• Peter Szanton, Director of the Office of Research Services (ORS)
• Holly Durham, Associate Provost for Academic Budget (Academic Affairs)

The Graduate School's Funding Team provides updates, upcoming deadlines, tips, and information you need to be informed and comfortable with the processes for funding students. Please sign up for the need-to-know digest.

According to a new report from Hanover Research, Master's programs in Data Processing and Data Analytics are experiencing continued robust growth. This surge reflects the ongoing high demand for data and information scientists in the job market. Notably, Data Scientist is the second-fastest growing occupation nationwide, trailing only Nurse Practitioner (which requires a degree). Read the full report here.  

Academic Success Tip: Infusing AI into Curricular Offerings- Faculty members have created special courses and assignments around generative artificial intelligence to prepare students for their lives after college. By  Ashley Mowreader

• Report issues best practices for generative AI tools-  A report from the think tank IHI Lucian Leape Institute recommended six best practices for developing generative AI tools and integrating them into clinical care. The guidance was developed around primary use cases for generative AI, such as documentation support, clinical decision support and patient chatbots, and includes safeguarding patients, engaging clinicians, ensuring AI efficacy and freedom from bias, creating strict governance guidelines, being intentional in developing the tools, and collaboration across health systems. Full Story: Fierce Healthcare (5/17)
• AI Model Helps VA Reduce Suicide Ideation, Attempts- Department of Veteran Affairs' Assistant Under Secretary for Health Carolyn Clancy told a House subcommittee that the department's AI algorithm-based Recovery Engagement and Coordination for Health -- Veterans Enhanced Treatment program had resulted in fewer incidents of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among veterans. Twenty-eight VA sites employ the REACH-VET program and it identifies some 6,700 veterans each month who need support. Full Story: Government Executive (5/14)

Suggestions are always welcome- please email Lindsay Lennon with any questions or recommendations.

• Data Science Community Newsletter- One more resource to keep in the know for new tools, events, job postings, and developing trends in data science- subscribe here. 

• KDnuggets- KDnuggets is an online site for Data Science, Machine Learning, AI, and Analytics, edited by Matthew Mayo. KD stands for Knowledge Discovery.

• Kaggle- Kaggle, owned by Google LLC, is a platform and community for data scientists and machine learning practitioners. Users can discover and share datasets, create models in a web-based environment, collaborate with others, and compete in data science challenges.

• Medium- Medium is an open-source online publishing platform where anyone can publish and share insightful perspectives and useful knowledge. It has a wide-ranging offering of topics including: Programming, Data Science, Technology, Self Improvement, Machine Learning, etc. In addition to their website, they also publish a daily e-newsletter.

• National Consortium for Data Science (NCDS)- The National Consortium for Data Science (NCDS) brings together academia, industry, and government to tackle 21st-century data challenges. It aims to leverage digital data for creating jobs, advancing healthcare, making scientific discoveries, and giving industries a competitive edge.

• SouthBDHub- The monthly newsletter contains a listing of news, events, and opportunities in data science, analytics, engineering, and policy. A selection of stories and announcements are below