By Francie Fink Dr. Linell Edwards, Assistant Director for Assessment and Evaluation in the Office of the Provost at Illinois, plays a key role in advancing initiatives aimed at improving the assessment of student learning outcomes. I met with Linell to explore how his work intersects with data collection and analysis. Our conversation underscored the data-driven […]
Author: John MacMullen
Synchrony’s Unique Model at Illinois: Data Science Mentoring and Talent Retention
By Francie Fink Key Takeaways At Synchrony, a leading consumer financial services company, data science involves more than coding, data analysis, and machine learning—it also encompasses mentorship and a long-term commitment to student success. At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Synchrony is not only recruiting talent but also actively cultivating it. Through its unique location […]
Using Data Science to Improve Educational Outcomes at CITL
By Francie Fink Dr. Manny Rodriguez Rivera brings a data-informed lens to inclusive teaching, course design, and instructional development. With a background that spans chemistry, educational research, and faculty support, Rodriguez Rivera plays a key role at Illinois in helping instructors close achievement gaps in courses of all sizes. His work integrates data science practices, from […]
Dan Harmon on Data-Driven Innovation in Research Administration at Illinois
By Francie Fink Dan Harmon is the Director of Data and Systems with the University of Illinois Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA). SPA is a service unit under the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation that supports externally sponsored research projects throughout their lifecycle. Dan oversees a team that focuses on data analysis, […]
Identifying Gaps in Early Childhood Education: IECAM’s Data-Driven Insights
By Francie Fink The Illinois Early Childhood Asset Map (IECAM) provides comprehensive data on early childhood care and education across Illinois, helping policymakers, school administrators, researchers, and more to make informed decisions. At the heart of IECAM is its interactive database, which allows users to explore early childhood metrics at the state, county, and even community […]
Mapping Health Disparities: Marynia Kolak on Data Science for Social Impact
By Francie Fink Dr. Marynia Kolak is an assistant professor and researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She is Principal Investigator for the Health Regions & Policies Lab. When Kolak describes her work, she paints a picture of how geography, data science, and health are deeply intertwined, informing each other. As a health geographer and […]
Embracing Your Non-Linear Data Science Career Path: A Conversation with Jordari Rene
By Francie Fink I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Jordari JD Rene, Assistant Director of Employer Relations and Professional Connections at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. With years of experience working closely with both college students and industry professionals, Jordari is deeply passionate about helping students showcase their talents and connect with meaningful […]
Illinois Students Are Finalists in COVID-19 Student Paper Challenge
Two University of Illinois undergraduate students were finalists in the 2024 COVID Information Commons Student Paper Challenge. Arnav Aggarwal (Statistics & Mathematics) and Sangjun Ko (Statistics) received third place for their project “Identifying and Addressing the Socioeconomic and Mental Health Impacts of COVID-19 in Mexico: A Data-Driven Approach Using ENCOVID-19.” The COVID Information Commons (CIC) is an NSF-funded resource developed […]