Workshop: Bridging the Digital and Data Divide

Broad and diverse adoption of data science educational programming by institutions of higher education in the United States is essential to the future of scientific and economic progress. By developing data science programs and integrating data science into curricula, U.S. institutions can ensure that graduates are better prepared for the research and industry needs of the twenty-first century. While there are significant programs in data science under development at research-oriented institutions of higher education, progress in program development at primarily undergraduate, teaching-focused, and minority-serving institutions is lagging and underrepresented in the national conversation. Consequently, there is an emerging "Data Divide" between the different types of institutions of higher education, which would be detrimental both to science and to the future workforce needs of the nation. This workshop will identify the unique challenges faced by primarily undergraduate, teaching-focused, and minority-serving institutions in developing data science educational programs. Topics to be addressed include instructor training, infrastructure needs, existing and potential resources, and expertise gaps that have a disproportionate impact on program development at such institutions. The workshop will also stimulate discussions about the necessary resources and the available opportunities for supporting efforts in the development of data science programs at these types of institutions.

Data Science education is an essential component in the continued competitiveness of the United States on the international stage. The outcomes of this workshop will help the community move one step closer to ensuring that data science education is broadly accessible to a very broad cross-section of the student population across the nation. The workshop is an important step towards ensuring that diverse student populations across the U.S. are able to receive education in data science education regardless of their location, gender, ethnicity, financial need, or other demographics that may currently limit opportunities for advancement.