Presentation: 2024 ND EPSCoR Annual conference
November 21, 2024, Alerus Center, Grand Forks, North Dakota
A Data Science Summer Program for Tribal College Students: The Virtual Indigenous Data Science Academy
Corey
Smith
Faculty Member
University of North Dakota
Co-authors: Corey B. Smith, Assistant Professor, UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences; Melanie Nadeau, Assistant Professor, UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences; Collette Adamsen, Research Assistant Professor, UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences; S. Cristina Oancea, Associate Professor, UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences; Brent J. Voels, Instructor, Cankdeska Cikana Community College; Adrienne Salentiny, Assistant Professor, UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences; Lynn Mad Plume, Doctoral Candidate, UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences; Michael Herbert, Research Analyst, UND; Sandeep Singhal, Associate Professor, UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences; Mandy Guinn, Instructor, United Tribes Technical College; Lyle Best, Instructor, Turtle Mountain Community College; Emily Biggane, Instructor, United Tribes Technical College
Session
Concurrent Presentation Session 1
Data science skills are essential for advancing knowledge of health inequities in marginalized and medically underserved populations. There are no programs in data science in the tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) in North Dakota (ND) and the neighboring states. The Virtual Indigenous Data Science (VIDS) Academy was established by the University of North Dakota (UND) School of Medicine and Health Sciences in collaboration with three ND tribal colleges to introduce indigenous students to the core elements of data science. VIDS Academy teaching faculty developed a culturally-informed online summer program consisting of 10 learning modules delivered to 48 tribal college students with diverse backgrounds and academic interests. The VIDS Academy was delivered synchronously over 3 consecutive summers (2022-2024) using Zoom and the UND learning management system. More than 70% of student participants met the skills-based learning objectives of the Academy. Results of the summer program student evaluations demonstrated higher than average ratings of satisfaction with instruction. The VIDS Academy represents a promising model for the delivery of instruction in data science and STEM-related fields that address the local workforce and healthcare needs of tribal communities.