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Keywords: experiential partnership, industry-student collaboration, mentoring, R&D
The Data Mine at Purdue University is a pioneering experiential community for undergraduate and graduate students of all backgrounds to practice data science skills. It is the first data-intensive experience embedded in a large-scale learning community, with nearly 1,000 students participating in academic year 2021 – 2022. Students apply knowledge of tools including HPC clusters, R, SQL, and Python for projects in many domains. In our Corporate Partners cohort, students work in an interdisciplinary environment on data intensive projects provided by industry partners and mentored by employees for the 9-month academic year. Students develop their professional and data skills in a program three times longer than a typical summer internship. During academic year 2021 – 2022, around 600 students worked on 60 projects sponsored by industry. Data Mine students use an Agile approach to develop practical solutions to business needs while also making strides to revolutionize data science. Interdisciplinary teams bring new perspectives to challenging problems where data science is a key part of the solution. The Data Mine was recently awarded two grants to expand the model statewide in Indiana and nationwide. The National Data Mine Network will support 300 students at Minority Serving Institutions to experience hands-on data science training via high performance computing clusters and industry partnerships. The Data Mine is a central hub for data-infused education, research, engagement, and collaboration. We’re equipping students to be the next generation of data scientists.