Argamon Speaks at Sold-Out Inaugural Data Science Conference
Shlomo Argamon, professor of computer science and founding director of the Master in Data Science program, will speak on “Types of Data Science Education” at the inaugural Data Science Conference, Thursday, November 12-Friday, November 13, at the Gleacher Center downtown.
The new conference, which is sold out, has no sponsors, vendors, or recruiters, because it is meant to focus on sharing knowledge among practitioners—business analytics professionals working on data science, big data, data mining, machine learning, artificial intelligence, or predictive modeling. Speakers are from Microsoft, Google, IBM, Amazon, Booz Allen, Allstate, Walmart, Comcast, Southwest Airlines, and more.
In his talk, Argamon will survey the landscape of data science education, and explain the differences between the four types of programs and the different kinds of graduates that they produce. Understanding these differences is key to deciding what kind of program to attend and what kind of professional to hire for a particular position.
Data scientists are in increasingly high demand. As the volume of data increases, more organizations are hiring data scientists to help them make sense of their data and identify opportunities. In 2011, McKinsey predicted a shortage of 190,000 of these professionals by 2018. Currently, according to Glassdoor, the average salary for data scientists is over $118,000 per year.
Illinois Tech offers the interdisciplinary Master of Data Science program to produce mathematically and computationally sophisticated data scientists. Students acquire a deep and broad knowledge of theoretical principles of machine learning, statistics, high-performance computing, and data engineering, as well as the practical skills to apply them. They also learn communication and other skills to enhance their effectiveness on the job, and they study in collaboration with Illinois Tech’s pioneering ethics center. Students integrate this knowledge through a real-world data science practicum, working with leading companies and researchers in the Chicago area, such as Orbitz. The program recently became available online.
