A multidisciplinary team of statisticians, computer scientists, and environmental engineers, led by Associate Professor Amanda Hering of Baylor University, has received a $1.157 million award from the National Science Foundation. Joint with Colorado School of Mines, a novel, introductory data science course and undergraduate summer research program will be designed to motivate students early in their academic studies to pursue careers in data science by connecting them with authentic projects and stakeholders. The data-rich industry of water and wastewater treatment (W/WWT) will provide an extensive portfolio of tractable projects. Although data are easy to collect and abundant in the W/WWT industry, methods of monitoring, maintenance, and sensor calibration lag behind the state-of-the-art. This project will produce the next generation of data scientists who are ready to fill “mid-level” data science positions and will help W/WWT facility operators reduce costs and improve water quality by utilizing the information in their data.
