NJ Pathways Happening: Data Science Pathway Empowers Students through Competitions and Hackathons
County College of Morris
The New Jersey Big Data Alliance (NJBDA) hosted the event “Winning Strategies: Mastering Hackathons and Data Science Competitions” at Rowan University on October 4. This workshop attracted students eager to enhance their hackathon success by learning essential strategies and skills. Sessions were led by experts such as:
- Forough Ghahramani, EdD, AVP of Research and Innovation at NJ Edge
- Hieu Nguyen, PhD, Professor at Rowan University
These sessions equipped students with the knowledge and confidence needed to participate in and succeed at data science competitions, providing them with a solid foundation for future academic and career opportunities.
Participating in these competitions provides students with real-world experiences that allow them to engage with the entire data science process. From importing, tidying, and analyzing data, to visualizing, modeling, and communicating results, students gain valuable skills that are essential for success in the data science industry. The goal is to encourage students to plan for future educational pathways while fostering their interest in pursuing careers in data science.
Through collaborative efforts like these, the Data Science Pathway project is helping students gain the skills and experience necessary to thrive in the growing field of data science, while supporting the New Jersey Council of County College’s broader goals of increasing access to quality education and preparing students for high-demand careers.
The Center of Workforce Innovation for Data Science, supported by the NJ Pathways Initiative, is now in its third year, continuing its mission to engage students from high school through the collegiate level in hands-on learning through data science competitions and hackathons. This project is an integral part of the NJCCC’s Opportunity Agenda, aimed at promoting pathways to education and careers in data science.
