CIRSS Seminar: Halie Rando and Diana Byrne

Halie Rando and Diana Byrne will present their talk, "Data Science Across Disciplines: Providing Graduate Students with Skills and Confidence," at this CIRSS Seminar.

Abstract: Data Science Across Disciplines is a Focal Point project funded by the Graduate College. The goal of this project is to encourage graduate students to address questions within their fields using data-oriented approaches while also guiding them towards the skills and tools necessary to carry out these analyses. Rando and Byrne are currently finishing up a year-long introductory training course targeted at graduate students without prior programming knowledge and specifically designed to foster a hands-on and supportive environment. In the course, students have gained experience with several programming languages, developed basic programming skills, conducted an independent research project, and heard from faculty members from departments throughout campus whose research utilizes data in creative ways. Rando and Byrne will be discussing the data science and quantitative analysis training needs of graduate students and how the Data Science Across Disciplines Focal Point seeks to provide a solution.

Bio: Halie Rando is a third-year graduate student in the area of Genetics, Genomics, and Bioinformatics within the Department of Animal Science. Her research focuses on using the domesticated silver fox as a genomic model to identify genetic variants associated with complex behavioral traits such as anxiety, aggression, and psychological resilience. Diana Byrne, also a third-year graduate student, is in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Her research is focused on using quantitative sustainable design methods to improve the sustainability of water management systems. Both Rando and Byrne rely on programming skills to perform their research and are passionate about sharing their knowledge to help other students do the same.

This event is sponsored by Center for Informatics Research in Science and Scholarship