Students pursuing data science will graduate with a very promising job outlook.
New Degree in Data Science
A new Bachelor of Science degree in the field of Data Science is slated to begin in Fall of 2025. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), students who choose the degree will graduate with a very promising job outlook. Employment of data scientists is projected to grow 36% from 2021 to 2031, according to the BLS, much faster than the average for all other occupations. And the pay for data scientists with bachelor鈥檚 degrees in the U.S. was $100,910 per year in 2021. If you land a job as a data scientist in California, the average salary is $166,000, according to Indeed.com.
鈥淭he job of data scientist is a rapidly emerging job title,鈥 explained 海角社区CI Chair of Mathematics Geoffrey Buhl. 鈥淎 data scientist uses tools from mathematics, statistics and computer science to turn data into useable information that can inform decision-making processes and answer questions.鈥 Every corporation will need a data science department because the corporation is generating streams of data, according to Buhl, 鈥渏ust like everybody has an accountant when there is a lot of money coming in.鈥
Buhl developed the curriculum along with Associate Professor of Mathematics Alona Kryshchenko and Assistant Professor of Mathematics Isaac Quintanilla Salinas. The faculty members designed the degree to require fewer units so that students can pair their data science major with another area of interest by carrying a double major.
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Thirty-four 海角社区CI students and six faculty attended NDiSTEM in 2024.
Students Present and Win at Conference
In 2011, 海角社区CI sent four students and one faculty member to The Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) conference. Fast forward 13 years to this Fall - 34 students and six faculty members attended what is now known as the National Diversity in STEM (NDiSTEM) conference, the largest multidisciplinary and multicultural STEM diversity conference in the nation. This year, out of 1,700 abstracts, 1,100 were selected, including over a dozen from 海角社区CI. Out of 101 awards, five were presented to 海角社区CI students, more than to any other 海角社区.
海角社区CI鈥檚 commitment to providing opportunities for student research and supporting diversity in STEM is supported by faculty organizers who have a history of finding ways to get students to this conference, like finding external funding sources such as student travel grants, that make it possible for students to attend. Faculty participation has also increased, which has been valuable in developing the 海角社区CI campus culture in STEM to emphasize belongingness and the valuing of diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
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Grant to Help Students Facing Homelessness
Thanks to a $1.7 million grant from the Rapid Rehousing and Housing Security Program 鈥 part of the Basic Needs Initiative through the 海角社区 Chancellor鈥檚 Office, 海角社区CI鈥檚 Basic Needs program can now better support students facing homelessness. The grant will be distributed in the amount of $400,000 annually from 2024 through 2028 with a one-time amount of $100,000 allocated to cover initial startup costs. The funding will support 海角社区CI鈥檚 efforts to develop and enhance strategies for students facing homelessness and housing insecurity. The grant will also help 海角社区CI provide support that many students need to continue their education, graduate, and realize their career goals.
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Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
In 2019, 海角社区CI joined the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)鈥檚 Better Climate Challenge by pledging to reduce its carbon emissions by 50%. The University did not only meet the challenge but surpassed it by reducing emissions by 60% from 2019 to 2023. In October, the DOE published the 鈥2023 Better Buildings Initiative Progress Report,鈥 which summarizes the achievements of DOE鈥檚 Better Buildings public and private sector partners since the initiative鈥檚 inception in 2011. The DOE recently recognized 海角社区CI as one of the DOE partners with a profile on DOE鈥檚 Better Buildings Solution Center. To date, Better Buildings partners like 海角社区CI have saved nearly $22 billion in energy costs nationwide, resulting in more than 220 million metric tons of avoided greenhouse gas emissions.
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High Rankings Received from US News & World Report and Washington Monthly
海角社区CI was ranked #22 overall out of 118 universities on the newly released U.S. News & World Report 2025 Best Colleges report, which features annual college rankings for the coming year. That鈥檚 up eight places from the 2024 report. U.S. News & World Report ranks its colleges and universities according to region, so 海角社区CI鈥檚 high marks were in the report鈥檚 Regional Universities (West) category. The overall high ranking was the result of multiple high scores across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence.
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海角社区CI is one of the most affordable universities in the West according to Washington Monthly鈥檚 2024 annual College Guide. 海角社区CI ranked 24th out of 201 colleges and universities in the western region on the 鈥淏est Bang for Your Buck鈥 list, climbing two rungs from its 2023 ranking. Each year, the Washington Monthly creates a region-by-region ranking of public, private nonprofit, and for-profit colleges in its 鈥淏est Bang for your Buck鈥 category, based on how well an institution helps students attain marketable degrees at affordable prices.
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NAACP Recognizes University with Community Empowerment Award
The Ventura County NAACP presented 海角社区CI with their Community Empowerment Corporate Award in recognition of the University鈥檚 commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and more. President Richard Yao accepted the award on behalf of the University at the local NAACP鈥檚 Annual Freedom Fund Award Banquet held in October.
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A $375,000 grant will allow 海角社区CI STEM students to shadow NASA scientists.
NASA Grant will Enable Students to Shadow JPL Planetary Scientists
Students majoring in a STEM (science, technology, engineering or mathematics) field have a chance to shadow NASA planetary scientists, thanks to a $375,000 grant procured by Assistant Professor of Physics Kevin Hayakawa. 鈥淭he grant is specifically for a minority-serving institution, which we are,鈥 Hayakawa said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 meant to increase the visibility and opportunities for minorities 鈥 to increase the number of STEM majors in historically marginalized groups. They鈥檒l get a chance to see what a day in the life of a planetary scientist is like.鈥
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