Explore Data Science gives students a glimpse into the future

Each year, the Virginia Tech College of Science hosts a series of summer camps for middle and high school students, enabling them to explore the world of science.

The Explore Data Science camp, which this year was held for the third time, invites rising 11th and 12th graders to learn about a wide range of topics, from data ethics and game theory to Python and design of experiments.

But in addition to teaching data science skills, the Explore Data Science camp also offers sessions that give students a sneak peek of what their futures could look like.

This year, college prep was the focus on the final day of camp with a pair of workshops: “How to Write a College Essay” and “Why and How to do College.”

Meanwhile, a highlight of the week was a career networking panel featuring experts from a wide variety of disciplines:

• Karan Bhargava, Torc Robotics
• Nick Cohen, Ph.D. student, UC Irvine Department of Computer Science
• Alan Lattimer, Socially Determined
• Mary Lofton, Virginia Tech Center for Ecosystem Forecasting
• Rachel Midura, Virginia Tech Department of History
• Arianna Schuler Scott, Virginia Tech Pamplin College of Business
• Tom Woteki, Virginia Tech Academy of Data Science

Each panelist shared their own career journey, and as varied as each individual’s background has been, one theme remained constant — none of them had a linear path to a career in data science.

Woteki, a three-time Hokie who had an illustrious career in industry before returning to his alma mater to serve as the founding director of the Academy of Data Science, gave students three pieces of advice that have served him well: find something you’re passionate about, don’t be afraid to take risks, and build your network.

Network building was an essential component of the evening, as campers had the opportunity to talk one-on-one with each of the panelists.

The skills workshops offered in the Explore Data Science camp have been effective in introducing students to many facets of the data science field. Meanwhile, the career networking panel and college prep workshops allow campers to see their potential as future data scientists.