External Partnerships Opportunities
The Center for Data Science and Analytics (CDSA) has multiple ways for individuals and organizations to get involved. From large organizations wanting to sponsor an ongoing research lab to an individual who simply wants to attend networking events to stay on top of what is happening in the analytics and data science community, CDSA has a lot to offer. Either scroll down or click the links below to learn about the various ways that you and your organization can get involved with CDSA:
Corporate Research Partnerships
Project Labs and Internships
Capstone Class Sponsorship
Networking Events and Webcasts
Current Corporate Research Partnerships
The Center for Data Science and Analytics (CSDA) has partnered with numerous companies
in a variety of industries over the years to execute research projects featuring our
faculty and students. Research methodologies have included automation, deep learning,
facial recognition, machine learning, neural networks, predictive analysis, statistics,
and text mining.
Our labs focus on providing experiential learning for KSU’s graduate students as well as research support. Sponsored labs provide faculty and students with the opportunity to generate papers for peer reviewed publications, articles, and conference talks. These publications and presentations are a critical component of faculty and student advancement. Everything we do puts students first.
CDSA is eager to talk with you about how we can partner with your organization and
further your research needs while providing you access to a steady flow of student
talent for recruiting.
Past Research and Mission Support Partners
Project Labs and Internships
While research labs focus on breaking new ground, CDSA's project labs are focused on helping you solve day to day problems while having an ongoing pipeline of student talent to vet for employment. Overseen by university faculty, a project lab provides financial support for students as well as real-world, hands-on experience. A project lab is a great fit for companies looking to have an ongoing relationship with the School of Data Science and Analytics as well as a continuous pipeline of potential talent.
A traditional internship outside of a research or project lab is a direct relationship between a student and the hiring organization. It is a great fit when there is an immediate need for students to support short-term projects.
The ideal outcome from a successful project lab or traditional internship is a mutual
agreement for full time employment following graduation alongside the project results
delivered.
Capstone Class Sponsorship
Capstone classes are a terrific way to access masters or undergraduate students and to contribute to their educational journey. Class sponsors provide data and a real business problem they would like explored through the analysis of that data. The sponsor kicks off the semester by explaining the data and business problem, participates in several touch bases with students to answer questions and provide feedback on progress throughout the semester, and then reviews the final results that the students generate.
The class is divided into teams on the first day with members from a mix of degree programs. The teams then analyze the data to address the challenges posed by the sponsor. The final exam is a live presentation by each team to a group of the sponsoring company’s executives. Those executives then determine which team wins the award for best project for the semester. It is not uncommon for the sponsoring company to be so impressed with the students they interact with that one or more job offers are made to students from the class.
Networking Events and Webcasts
CDSA enjoys hosting networking events for professionals to interact with each other, as well as our faculty and students. A typical networking event involves an intimate group of professionals, faculty, and students meeting for a few hours of food, discussion, and a guest presentation. CDSA's Corporate Spotlight Series is specifically focused on having a company explain to the students what they do and discussing what a career at their company would look like.
Our webcast, Data Science Perspectives, features industry leaders from the local area, as well as around the country, discussing their own career journey, what trends they see in the analytics and data science space, and what they look for when hiring talent.
Student Mentoring Program
We all remember how tough it was to learn how things worked in the “real world” after we graduated. Our student mentoring program pairs individuals from industry with individual students to form a mentoring relationship. The mentor can provide career guidance and advice, as well as exposing the student to what a typical workday is like. From providing input on course selection, to assisting with resume creation, to providing feedback on mock job interviews, to helping assess job offers, mentors can have a big impact on students.
CDSA works with mentors at the individual level and it is also possible for an organization to have a formal program to enable multiple analytics and data science focused employees to get involved with KSU students in a programmatic way. When the program launched in Spring of 2021, there were mentors from a broad range of Atlanta-based companies including The Coca-Cola Company, Chick-fil-A, Georgia Pacific, Southern Company, and InterContinental Hotels Group. If you are interested in being a mentor, click here for a brochure that includes a sign-up link.
Corporate Upskilling Workshops
In addition to the certificate programs below, CDSA also offers customizable employee upskilling workshops on a variety of timely topics. A few examples:
Data and analytics literacy for non-technical employees
How to effectively present and communicate analytical findings
The ethical considerations that surround data science and artificial intelligence
Foundations of data science using SAS, R, or Python
… and many more
CDSA can work with you to develop a program that can be delivered to multiple cohorts
within your organization over time in order to keep your team’s skills current.
Data Science and Analytics Certificate Programs
The school offers a range of educational opportunities for individuals interested in learning more about data science. Our online certificates have been developed to meet the needs of working professionals - the material is on-demand and self-paced with heavy emphasis on application, rather than on theory. For companies that would like to send groups of employees through our certificate programs, bulk pricing is available.
For more information on each certificate, click on the boxes below.
