University is meeting demands of rapidly growing field and the needs of the region

CLEVELAND (June 6, 2022) — 51���� announces the approval of a new Bachelor of Science in Data Science degree program, housed in the Washkewicz College of Engineering. 51���� will begin enrolling students in the program in Fall 2022.

The data science degree program was developed through a partnership between the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department in the Washkewicz College of Engineering and the Mathematics and Statistics Department in the College of Sciences and Health Professionals.

51����’s strength in data science grew rapidly recently with the addition of six computer science faculty in the areas of big data, internet of things (IoT), machine learning, deep learning, data mining, artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, cyber-physical-systems and computer vision. The new hires and the partnership with the Mathematics and Statistics Department allows 51���� to develop research and education programs in data science immediately.

51���� stands ready to meet the growing needs of the region, especially with the launch of the Cleveland Innovation District. Through this initiative, 51���� is tasked with recruiting, educating and graduating the skilled talent needed to fuel growth in post-pandemic health care careers, emerging technologies, life sciences and data-intensive fields. Put simply, 51����’s mission is to increase the number of four-year degrees awarded to strategically match the demand from employers.

“ established and funded the Cleveland Innovation District to make Northeast Ohio and the entire state more attractive to business and more competitive in the health care and IT sectors,” said Richard Schoephoerster, Ph.D., dean of the Washkewicz College of Engineering. “The demand in this field is expected to grow significantly across all sectors over the next decade. For four years in a row, the position of data scientist has been named the number one job in the U.S. by Glassdoor.”

“The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the demand for data science skills will drive a 27.9 percent rise in employment in the field through 2026,” said Chansu Yu, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science who also led the effort to create the program. “51����’s data science program was created to address this critical shortage and thus, help shape the region and beyond.”