2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Interdisciplinary Traineeship for Socially Responsible and Engaged Data Scientists (iTREDS) program trains undergraduate students at the University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College in data science through a lens of social responsibility and community engagement, including rigor and responsibility, ethics, society, and policy. The mission of the two-year iTREDS program is to educate the next generation of data scientists in a way that ensure ethics and social responsibility are intertwined with delivering data-driven solutions in the real world. Students are encouraged to produce impactful and equitable solutions while appreciating the ethical implications of data science innovation and results. Entering its fourth year, the NSF-funded (award number 1924279) iTREDS program stands tall as a remarkable tale of achievement and impact. Not only does it boast an impressive rate of women and minority participation for when compared to other data science programs, but also many student capstone projects are informed by real-life problems and are implemented to make a real difference.
Envisioning the future, we set out to create an exceptional data science education program that not only empowers students to harness the potential of data and technology but also cultivates their ability to contemplate its impact on society. Thus, iTREDS was born—an embodiment of this visionary idea. Through an interdisciplinary and hands-on learning approach, we foster collaboration between students and stakeholders to tackle data-driven challenges while honing essential skills within a well-structured curriculum. At its core, iTREDS embraces the convergence of data-centered and human-centered methodologies. The iTREDS program encompasses a range of carefully crafted objectives:
1. A comprehensive data science curriculum that fosters data acumen and provides interdisciplinary experiential learning opportunities, with a focus on creating a positive societal impact.
2. A year-long capstone project that serves as a tangible framework for experiential learning and showcases the utility and value of data science in driving positive change in society.
3. Programming that nurtures the principles of design thinking and encourages students to collaborate closely with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and varying levels of expertise, thereby enabling collective and innovative problem-solving.
4. A curriculum infused with a strong emphasis on data ethics, ensuring students develop a keen sense of responsibility and ethical awareness while working with data.
5. Enhanced professional development for undergraduate students that enables them to communicate complex concepts effectively to decision-makers and the broader public. Valuable practicum opportunities through internships that allow students to gain real world experience and apply their knowledge in practical settings.
This paper reports on the accomplishments of the program over the four cohorts, presents lessons learned, opportunities for improvement, and recommendations for incorporating elements of iTREDS into data science curriculum at other universities or programs.