The primary objective of this Birds of a Feather (BoF) session is to gather feedback and explore new directions for expanding the curriculum of the CODATA-RDA School of Research Data Science (SoRDS). The current SoRDS program aims to build core data science skills through a broad and shallow curriculum for early career researchers. Delivered over a two-week period, the program covers a range of essential topics including Open Science, Research Data Management, Git, Unix Shell, Data Visualization, Data Analysis, Machine Learning, and Research Infrastructures.
As practices and techniques in data science continue to evolve rapidly, it is crucial for the SoRDS curriculum to adapt accordingly. Expanding the curriculum to include more AI-related topics and potentially extending the program to a third week for advanced workshops on specialized subjects such as urban resilience, climate change data or natural disasters will ensure that the training remains relevant and comprehensive. Bringing data analysis tools to social scientists is particularly important, as it empowers them to leverage quantitative methods to gain deeper insights into social phenomena and enhance the rigor of their research. Additionally, incorporating topics in the curriculum that should cover open machine learning tools and models, along with explainable AI techniques and FAIR ML principles can help foster transparency and trust in their research environments.
This session will provide a platform to:
* Present the current state of the SoRDS curriculum.
* Justify the need for curriculum expansion based on the evolving landscape of data science and feedback from past participants.
* Explore potential new topics and modules that could be included in the expanded curriculum.
* Discuss the feasibility and benefits of introducing a third week dedicated to advanced workshops.
* Identify key stakeholders and build support for the creation of a new Working Group focused on improving and expanding the SoRDS curriculum.
In addition, this BoF session will serve as a platform to identify and recruit members for a new Working Group dedicated to delivering an updated or extended version of the SoRDS curriculum within an 18-month timeframe. The Working Group will be responsible for developing and refining the expanded curriculum, incorporating feedback and new insights gathered during this session. Our goal is to conduct a trial run of the revised curriculum during the next Trieste school, scheduled to be hosted around August 2025. This trial will provide a valuable opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the new content, ensuring it meets the evolving needs of data science researchers.
By the end of this session, we aim to have a clearer understanding of the community’s needs and interests, and a roadmap for developing a more up to date curriculum for the SoRDS program.
