Mathematics professor Andrea Cullinen, computer science instructor Nathalie Guebels and geography professor Geordie Armstrong have been collaborating to hold events and programs to teach students how to use data science in their future careers.
In nearly every field, data science has turned out to be an essential tool. Every method of analysis, graph and formula used anywhere is a product of data science.
With a grant that has introduced data science to the campus, the three of them have mentored students and held collaborative data science classes together.
“You don’t have to be a data science major to benefit from learning more about data science,” Cullinen said. “The goal of the event was to give people the data science opportunities we bring here.”
The origin of the collaboration started back in 2021 when Cullinen saw an article on The Channels about Guebel’s participation in a push to start more data science classes.
“I saw her when I was biking home and I went ‘Oh my gosh, that is so cool that you’re doing that, I teach in the math department and I’d love to work together,’” Cullinen said.
Armstrong and Guebels were already coworkers, and the three of them started working together to apply for and eventually received a CA Learning Lab Microgrant, “Bridging through Data Science Examples” for the 2024-2025 academic year.
The grant had three goals in total, starting with the inclusion of a new curriculum in their classes on how to apply data science in their courses. Their next goal was to mentor students, focusing on underrepresented students in their courses, particularly female students.
As part of that mentorship, they hold events to reach as many people as possible on data science.
Students who attend any events held by the collaboration are able to learn about how data science could apply to their interests and careers, as well as some insight from panelists into what it’s like to transfer to a four-year institution.
“I think hearing from students that are currently working towards accomplishing their goals is very beneficial,” Cullinen said. “When I was a student, hearing more of those words of encouragement from my peers was always super helpful.”
In the past, professor Guebels was a part of The Central Coast Data Science Partnership. It was a collaboration between UCSB, Cal Poly, CSUSB and City College from 2019 to 2022. They also joined the California Alliance for Data Science Education (CADSE), giving students valuable resources and connections in the data science field.
“Although the CCDSP funding ended in 2022, SBCC was able to initiate a new Data Science pathway and launched the AS degree and certificate in Spring 2023,” Guebels said in an email to The Channels.
The last part of the grant was to aid their fellow faculty in their professional development, holding workshops at the beginning of the school year as well as for the Mathematics Department.
The three of them don’t have any further plans, but are open to collaborating in the future as long as they have the funding.
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