New Trends in STEM: from Big Data to Neuroscience
The biggest story in new academic programs across the nation is the rise of Data Science—a major that combines mathematics, statistics, and computer science. As big data continues to transform a variety of industries and academic fields, many colleges have added Data Science to their undergraduate offerings. Among them are UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, Purdue, UC Boulder, UVA, Yale, and William and Mary.
Interested in Data Science? Keep in mind that, since these are multi-disciplinary programs, they can vary widely in terms of what particular schools emphasize—from computer science to communications. Most Data Science programs are geared toward students with significant knowledge of computer science, but a few, including the new Digital and Computational Studies major at Bates, are designed for students with varying levels of prior experience. Make sure you do your homework, and find the right program for you!
Neuroscience and its close cousin, Artificial Intelligence (A.I.), are two other multi-disciplinary STEM majors that are also rapidly on the rise. Schools including George Washington University, Yale, Northwestern, Boston College, Reed, and Georgia Tech have recently added undergrad neuroscience majors. Carnegie Mellon has just launched the first undergraduate program in A.I., and MIT recently embarked on a $1 Billion initiative to start a new college of Computing and A.I. studies. Like Data Science, these new programs reflect a growing need for scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs who are trained to think across the boundaries of traditional disciplines—biology, information science, psychology, cognitive theory, and comp sci. These programs can also have quite different emphases and expectations, so, once again, make sure you research carefully! Thorough research makes for stand-out essays: it is great to show a college that you are interested in a particular academic department; it is even better to show them that you appreciate what makes that department unique.
One final trend to note in the changing landscape of STEM programs: an uptick in the number of majors that offer deep dives into specific areas of applied math. The new Quantitative Biology major at USC, for instance, focuses on the intersection between big data and biology, from gene sequencing to ecology. Recently, Washington University in St. Louis has debuted two new areas of study along these lines: Mathematics and Computer Science, a joint program through their School of Engineering and Applied Science and their School of Arts and Sciences, and Financial Engineering, which will give undergraduates a thorough introduction to the math and economics of complex financial instruments. The new Biophysics major at Bucknell and Mathematics and Physics major at Harvey Mudd also reflect this growing demand for areas of specialization within applied math.
The areas of focus that these new opportunities draw together—data science, cognition, A.I., and applied math—are hugely in demand! Just make sure, as you investigate, to look closely at how these programs differ in terms of emphasis, requirements, facilities, and potential research opportunities for undergraduates.
Leave a Reply