The establishment of a data science institute at a two-year community college

The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $650,000 Project Grant under the STEM Education federal grant program (CFDA 47.076) to County College of Morris (CCM) to establish a Data Science Institute. This project will build upon a previous NSF-funded initiative to create educational pathways and enhance data science skills across New Jersey, from high school to four-year institutions and employers. The Data Science Institute will offer workshops, training sessions, degree programs, teacher/faculty development, and industry engagement opportunities to promote data science expertise and address the growing demand for data science professionals. The project aims to develop high school to college pathways, support technical and essential skills development, and facilitate interactions between students and data science professionals. The award period is from June 1, 2024, to May 31, 2027.

Abstract

The modern world is data driven. Individuals, businesses, and governments rely on data scientists to collect, analyze, and interpret data to produce information used to make critical decisions. According to the US bureau of labor and statistics, about 17,700 openings for data scientists are projected each year, on average, over the decade, making IT essential that educational institutions implement and deploy programs to produce graduates capable of filling these openings. This project will build upon a previous ATE funded project (NSF 2000887) to create a data science institute to meet the demand for data science positions in new jersey. The institute will consist of seven components to promote and enhance data science skills across the state, from high school to four-year partners and employers. The data science center will provide interested students with the necessary support to enter and progress through a pathway that empowers their economic mobility. The new jersey community college consortium has identified technical, computer, and essential skills as the basic expertise required for data-skilled jobs. Technical skills include statistical modeling, data visualization, and data storytelling. The basic computing skills needed are tableau, python, SQL, and excel. Essential skills include expertise in problem solving and critical thinking. This project will create a data science institute at county college of morris with four main goals: offer workshops and training sessions on relevant data science skills, develop high school to collegial pathways for degree attainment, support high school teacher and college faculty development, and facilitate interactions between students and professionals through guest lectures, industry visits, and networking events. This project is funded by the advanced technological education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.