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Data Science

Improving how the world uses data to make decisions

A flock of birds flying in the foreground with windmills in the background

Statistician Lisa Madsen and collaborators help estimate the total mortality of birds and bats at wind farms to make green energy safer for wildlife.

With demand for data scientists projected to grow 34% between 2014-24, the ability to produce useful insights from complex data has never been in greater demand. The College of Science employs some of the best and brightest minds in mathematics, statistics and bioinformatics to meet the growing need for strong quantitative data science and reasoning skills in an increasingly data-driven era. We produce interdisciplinary analytical thinkers and capable data scientists who analyze large high-dimensional data sets to address complex interdisciplinary problems.

Data science tackles today’s toughest challenges

The need for data-driven scientific conclusions, decision-making and performance assessment is accelerating a worldwide call for experts in data science. From more accurate models of climate change to disease contagion and prevention, from personalized medicine to precision agriculture, data science is fomenting breakthroughs and shaping new thinking across a wide range of research topics in the College.

Today’s large data sets require major transformations in tools, techniques and methods and most importantly, in the application of scientific principles to data generation and interpretation.

Interdisciplinary collaborations deliver new insights that drive decisions and discovery

Data scientists are in high demand.

Students with experience in data science are in high demand across almost all sectors, from private and non-profit companies to government agencies and academia. Data science is transforming knowledge and practice across all fields of science and beyond, from biology to chemistry, health to resource management, marketing and business development, emergency preparedness, actuarial science and more.

“The need to train community members in data science has never been more essential. Data science skills are critical for all students, not just those in STEM.”

Professor of Statistics James Molyneux brings numbers alive in his statistics classes, with real-world problems and computational and graphical reasoning tools accessible to all students.

“Marine, earth and atmospheric studies of tectonics, ocean acidification and clouds, through the use of massive data collection and search algorithms are helping us to understand the pace and consequences of climate change.”

Ed Ray

Former President, Oregon State University