The Discovery Informatics Program
Discovery Informatics is the study of computer and mathematical techniques that
get useful information from large streams or collections of data. The Discovery
Informatics Program combines the study of these techniques with coursework in
a related field (refered to as a "cognate discipline," see below) that contends
with these large collections of data.
Below is a brief summary of the program and its rationale. You may also review
the course requirements from the current
college catalog.
Quick Facts About the Program
- Discovery Informatics
Students will have an opportunity to integrate their mathematical and computational skills with the material from their cognate courses in capstone projects hosted by a team of faculty members. - New techniques and theories have been developed to address the need of diverse disciplines to obtain information from large multidimensional datasets, datastreams, or complex systems. This has spawned discipline specific specialties such as "bioinformatics." We refer to the underlying concepts within mathematics and computer science that may be widely applied, independent of discipline, as "Discovery Informatics" (DI).
- Degree Requirements and Coursework
- The core curriculum consists of study in mathematics (7 existing courses
and 3 new courses) and computer science (5 existing and 2 new courses) along
with two courses designed specifically for the DI program. Additional requirements
for competency in a cognate discipline can largely be achieved using courses
that fulfill existing General Education requirements. A DI degree can be earned
in eight semesters with 122 credits of coursework. (See course
requirements here.)
- Cognate Disciplines
- The program is designed to be highly interdisciplinary. Faculty from Mathematics
and Computer Science along with faculty from the cognate disciplines will be
involved in the development of the program and guidance of its students. Cognates
include Biomechanics, Customer Relationship Management, e-Commerce, Economics,
Exercise Physiology, Molecular and Organismal Biology, Physics and
Astronomy, Psychology, Sociology, and Supply Chain Management.
- Student Research Oriented
- The techniques and concepts learned will be applied through the integrated study of a cognate discipline culminating in a senior research project in that area.
- Target Audience
- This program will require quantitative skills. Some majors will be CofC students
who would otherwise have majored in Mathematics or Computer Science. The uniqueness
of the program and the employment potential of its graduates will attract new,
high caliber students to the College. The projected total enrollment for the
program is 50 students
by the 2008-09 academic year.
- Benefit to Students
- Graduates of the DI program will be prepared for an
increasing number of high paying jobs and graduate programs which are desperate
for qualified college graduates. Moreover, the proposed introductory course
DISC 101 will be appropriate as a general introduction to this field for CofC
students in any major.
- National Leadership
- CofC will be the first in the nation to offer
an undergraduate degree in DI, enhancing the college’s growing national
reputation. At the state-level, the college will further distinguish
and affirm its leadership in mathematics and the sciences, building upon
its commendations of excellence received through the state's Committee
on Higher Education program reviews.
The Program Rationale
The nearly universal use of computers, sensors, networks and storage devices,
coupled with their exponential growth in capacities, allow people and organizations
to economically generate and store massive amounts of data – and real
time data sources are continuing to increase in number and availability. Business
and governments need to extract new information from these data sets, which will be increasingly valuable.
Common examples of these datasets can be found in DNA sequencing, microarrays,
proteomics, meteorology, astronomy, medicine, remote sensing, sociology, education,
political science, finance, and consumer transactions. One of the largest repositories
of data is represented by the total content of the web and activities on the
Internet. Discovery Informatics has emerged as a new discipline
over the past decade to address the analysis of these large datasets.
Discovery Informatics is a rigorous, multidisciplinary program, which will be
a catalyst and enabler for discoveries that might otherwise go unrealized,
for knowledge that would otherwise remain hidden.
The program requires study in a cognate discipline. The
need for quantitative approaches within data intensive disciplines makes them
appropriate
as
disciplinary specific cognates.
The computational techniques and theoretical reasoning developed in the required
Discovery Informatics course work should provide much of what the students will
need to enter this growing field, however, their understanding will be greatly
enhanced by the cognate requirements.
Cognate courses will provide students with
knowledge in a separate discipline – a discipline that benefits from the application
of Discovery Informatics. The students will have an opportunity to integrate
their mathematical and computational skills and the material from their cognate
courses in capstone projects hosted by a team of faculty members, which necessarily
includes a faculty member of the cognate department.
For each cognate in the program,
15 to 21 credit hours of coursework are identified
to immerse students in the discipline. The
set of disciplinary courses can either offer a broad coverage of the discipline,
or focus narrowly – but more deeply – in one aspect of the discipline. Associated
with the cognate
is one or more data sets or data streams offering students and faculty the opportunities
to apply and build tools to solve a specific problem associated with a capstone
experience in the senior year.
The DI program is designed to be inclusive and
integrated, encouraging faculty and student collaborations across disciplines.
Initially the program includes 10 cognates:
- Biomechanics
- Customer Relationship Management
- e-Commerce
- Economics
- Exercise Physiology
- Molecular Biology
- Organismal Biology
- Physics and Astronomy
- Sociology
- Supply Chain Management
Learn more:
Course Requirements | Discovery
Informatics FAQs |
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