CURRENT PROJECTS

The AUC Data Science Initiative is proud to announce the launch of it's very first mega-outreach program through the support and implmentation of the National Data Science Alliance (NDSA). 

To be headquarted at Clark Atlanta University (CAU), thmakes history as the first
Historically Black College and University (HBCU) to receive a $10 million award from the
National Science Foundation (NSF) INCLUDES program to establish the National Data Science
Alliance (NDSA).
The NDSA will increase the number of Black people earning data science credentials by at least
20,000 by 2027 and expand data science research that advocates for social justice and strive to
eliminate bias. To accomplish this visionary goal, the NDSA will facilitate engagement across all
HBCUs with industry and academic collaboration to broaden participation and advance social
justice in data science.
“This is a monumental accomplishment for the HBCU community as a whole, and we at Clark
Atlanta University are deeply honored to perpetuate institutional mission through data science,”
said President George T. French Jr., Ph.D. “Clark Atlanta University has deep roots in conducting
data science research that promotes equity, including the seminal works of scholar and former
faculty member W.E.B. Du Bois on these hallowed grounds. This historic award exemplifies our
commitment to ensuring that competitive advantage for students to succeed and excel in our
data-driven society.”
Talitha Washington, the lead and principal investigator of the grant, is the mastermind behind
the NDSA. As the Director of the Atlanta University Center (AUC) Data Science Initiative and
professor of mathematics at Clark Atlanta University, she is passionate about engaging more
HBCUs and building a community to accelerate the preparation of students in data science and
discover solutions for data-oriented problems that impact the lives of Blacks.
“We are excited that many HBCUs will collaborate with us to develop new equity-based
discoveries in data science and expand student pathways that will change the face of data
science,” said Washington.
The NDSA is supported by the AUC Consortium, led by Michael Hodge, with industry-university
collaboration led by Moses Garuba (Howard University) and collective impact efforts led by H.
Justin Ballenger (Morehouse College). The NDSA’s three regional hubs are led by LaTanya
Brown-Robertson (Howard University), Sajid Hussain (Fisk University), and Eric Mintz (Clark
Atlanta University). The evaluation will be led by Kavita Mittapalli (MN Associates).
The NDSA will catalyze systemic change at scale by engaging over 1,000 HBCU faculty and will
create equity-based data science ecosystems where all students can learn and thrive.

Chemistry majors and other STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) majors interested in the interface between materials chemistry and data science are encouraged to apply to participate in a 9-week undergraduate research program hosted by Clark Atlanta University and Atlanta University Center Data Science Initiative. Participants will gain broad perspectives by participating in a dynamic research environment while working with a faculty mentor at one of the five research groups consisting of one chemistry and one data science faculty member. The program also includes several professional development activities, REU seminars with faculty and research scientists, and an end-of-program symposium.

Participants will receive a stipend of $5,400 for the 9-week program, a travel allowance, and housing on the Clark Atlanta University campus. In addition to this, the HarvardX’s Data Science certificate and GRE preparation costs for participating students will be covered under the program. Participants must be U.S citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. and currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree program at a U.S. college or university (be rising sophomores - seniors).

 SAP and Coca-Cola have partnered together with the AUC Data Science Initiative  and the AUC Robert W. Woodruff Library to create the AUC Virtual Computer Lab which will soon be available to all students and faculty at AUC member institutions: Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Spelman College.

The AUC Virtual Computer Lab will be the cornerstone of data science across the AC and allow students to access software, technology, and learning tools they need to become leading data scientists from anywhere, and on any device. The Lab will facilitate the use of computational platforms used by various disciplines to carry out data science work. The AUC Data Science Initiative in particular, will be utilizing the Virtual Computer Lab to teach its first course, “Data and the African Diaspora.”

The AUC Data Science Working Groups are made up of faculty and staff to aid in elevating data science research, scholarship, and teaching at the AUC member institutions. The Working Groups are designed to facilitate AUC-wide collaborations to increase data science knowledge, awareness, and best practices. 

The AUC Data Science Initiative was awarded a $249,994 grant from the Sloan Foundation to implement an “AUC-Sloan Open Source Software Development Postbaccalaureate Program,” also referred to as “Open Doors by Open Source“, in was executed in the summer of 2021. 

As open source software development is essential to the collaborative nature of data science, this Program will strengthen efforts to develop a well-skilled data science workforce.

This Program trained Black computing graduates to prepare them for competitive positions at high-tech companies, created course components to embed software development into the undergraduate curriculum, shared promising practices with the AUC institutions and other HBCUs, and has helped diversify the high-tech field.