Inside INdiana Business is reporting that Purdue University is using a grant from Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment Inc. to launch Indiana Digital Crossroads. The university says the initiative will build on its Data Mine concept, which provides data science training to students on the West Lafayette campus, and create regional data science hubs throughout the state.
Purdue launched The Data Mine in 2018. The university says now, the program is providing training to 600 students this year and coordinating real-world projects with more than two dozen companies.
The Indiana Digital Crossroads, according to Purdue, will involve collaboration with Indiana-based companies, allowing students to learn data science skills in an immersive environment. The university says the first two regional data science hubs will be located at Purdue University Fort Wayne and Purdue Polytechnic Institute in Anderson.
“This project will bring together world-leading faculty, Indiana’s business leaders and students to find innovative ways to address real-world issues facing workforce development and the economic prosperity of Indiana communities,” said Jay Akridge, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs and diversity at Purdue. “Part of the Indiana Digital Crossroads plan calls for outreach to educators to develop programs for high school students to understand why data science is important for their future. We also will be addressing access to data science programs and careers for students in urban and rural school districts where such access is lacking.”
The university did not specify when the first regional hubs would begin operation.
The Indiana Digital Crossroads initiative is the result of a $10 million grant from the endowment’s Charting the Future for Indiana’s Colleges and Universities campaign.
You can learn more about the initiative by clicking here.