AUC Data Science Initiative PreFreshman Experience (PFx):
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General Information
Rising junior, senior, or graduate students at Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs) are invited to apply to be research mentors by June 1, 2024.
Overview of PFx Program
The Atlanta University Center (AUC) Data Science Initiative (DSI) proudly serves Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to advance data science.
The AUC PreFreshman Experience (PFx) virtual summer program offers incoming HBCU students a chance to engage in data science before the start of their first year. Throughout the one-week program, students will explore applications of data science and learn about different career opportunities. The program will provide an immersive experience in a data science project with a college professor (instructor) and research mentors. Students will engage in excellent networking opportunities with data science professionals as well as with students from across HBCUs. Research Mentors stipend: $1,000
Responsibilities
Research mentors help guide a team of six incoming HBCU students from various backgrounds on a data science project. Most team members will be recent high school graduates and may not have experience in data science, statistics, or programming. Research mentors will provide encouragement and support for the teams who will do the work, don’t do the work for them! The research mentor may also help the team prioritize work, ask questions to facilitate progress, and is expected to have familiarity with the project before the program starts. The instructor will design the project and provide guidance to the research mentor.
Before the program begins, the instructor will have a data science project prepared. The instructor will meet with the research mentor to discuss the project and its outcomes prior to the start of the program. Research mentor expectations to support the teams include the following.
Overview of PFx Program
The Atlanta University Center (AUC) Data Science Initiative (DSI) proudly serves Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to advance data science.
The AUC PreFreshman Experience (PFx) virtual summer program offers incoming HBCU students a chance to engage in data science before the start of their first year. Throughout the one-week program, students will explore applications of data science and learn about different career opportunities. The program will provide an immersive experience in a data science project with a college professor (instructor) and research mentors. Students will engage in excellent networking opportunities with data science professionals as well as with students from across HBCUs. Research Mentors stipend: $1,000
Responsibilities
Research mentors help guide a team of six incoming HBCU students from various backgrounds on a data science project. Most team members will be recent high school graduates and may not have experience in data science, statistics, or programming. Research mentors will provide encouragement and support for the teams who will do the work, don’t do the work for them! The research mentor may also help the team prioritize work, ask questions to facilitate progress, and is expected to have familiarity with the project before the program starts. The instructor will design the project and provide guidance to the research mentor.
Before the program begins, the instructor will have a data science project prepared. The instructor will meet with the research mentor to discuss the project and its outcomes prior to the start of the program. Research mentor expectations to support the teams include the following.
- Meet with the instructor before the start of the program to learn what the teams will be expected to do with the dataset
- Review the data set developed by the instructor that speaks to “Data for Social Impact” that solves a societal challenge through data insights and innovation.
- Understand how students could analyze the dataset with technology (e.g., Excel, Python, R, Tableau)
- Review and understand the learning outcomes of the data analysis with technology
- Provide guidance to the teams during the program and provide a daily report to the instructor on the progress of the project
- Coach the teams on time and progress to complete the data science project and presentations
Qualifications
- Strong background in data, statistics, PowerPoint, and Google Sheets/Excel are preferred
- Familiarity with Python, R, and/or Tableau may be desired
- Ability to communicate effectively, open to new ideas, and organizational skills
Schedule
- Attend at least ONE virtual Orientation on June 25 or July 1 from 11:00 am-1:00 pm ET to meet with the instructor and learn more about the project.
- Attend at least ONE platform check-in on July 8 or 11 from 11:00am-1:00pm ET
- Attend all virtual lectures & class sessions with cameras on, July 15-19, 11:00am-1:30pm & 2:00-4:00pm EST
Note: Monday-Thursday from 2:00-4:00 pm ET, the research mentor will facilitate the interactive session with the team.