The Data Science Academy is a university-wide effort to advance data science across all colleges of the university, as well as centers and institutes in all three pillars of the university’s land-grant mission: education, research and service to the state of North Carolina. The DSA aims to engage learners at any level and with varying career goals by offering data science courses, analytics consulting and research enablement. DSA 1-credit courses are based on the All-campus Data science through Accessible Project-based Teaching and learning (ADAPT) model, which is designed to support all learners by eliminating barriers to entry, providing genuine choices to build data science identity, and creating a high probability of success. Instructors come from industry, government and academia to broaden participation in data science and welcome learners from disciplines across the university.
About the Project
Research-informed methodologies for data science teaching and learning are essential to build the workforce needed in data science, which is growing as a career path, a professional skill, and a component of literacy. To this end, the NC State Data Science Academy (DSA) is creating a model for training postdoctoral scholars in education research.
This program will bring together a cohort of four postdoctoral scholars who are committed to broadening participation in data science through education research that centers diversity, equity and inclusion. The DSA offers a unique environment for these postdoctoral scholars to conduct research in data science education through the study of the Data Science Academy’s ADAPT course design model (described below and on the DSA website).
The postdoctoral scholars will work with mentors who have varied backgrounds, have a known-record of mentoring diverse trainees, and have professional expertise to support them in developing their own data science education research.
We have posted materials on our website (datascienceacademy.ncsu.edu) that may assist you in the application process, including a recording of an information session. You can also find information about our courses and the ADAPT course model.
Duties and Responsibilities
Scholars will develop a research project focused on the teaching and learning in progress through the Data Science Academy at NC State University. The research will investigate aspects of the ADAPT model (described above and online).
Scholars will develop a research project focused on the teaching and learning in progress through the Data Science Academy at NC State University. The research will investigate aspects of the ADAPT model (described above and online).
The scholars will participate as a cohort in research and professional development activities such as weekly mentor meetings, leadership development, teaching meetings, a data science education journal club, brown bag lunches, presentations, workshops and a data science education conference. Fellows may also access NC State professional development programs and funding for travel and professional memberships.
Each postdoctoral scholar will be expected to teach one course per semester for the Data Science Academy at the undergraduate or graduate level. They may develop a new course or teach an existing course.
The postdoctoral scholars will provide input that helps identify a primary and secondary research mentor. The goal is to create interdisciplinary teams.
NC State University and the Data Science Academy are especially interested in qualified candidates who can make contributions through their experience, research, teaching and/or service that demonstrate NC State’s goals and values as described in the Wolfpack 2030 Powering the Extraordinary Strategic Plan: https://strategicplan.ncsu.edu/current-plan/wolfpack-2030-powering-the-extraordinary/
Other duties as assigned.