New U of R SGI partnership to enrich study of data science in Saskatchewan
Posted: April 8, 2021 11:00 a.m.
Data science is a
growing field of study across many academic disciplines at the U of R
thanks to the new SGI Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Data Science. Image by xresch from Pixabay
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The study of data science recently got a boost at the
University of Regina, thanks to a new partnership between the
Institution and its long-time industry partner Saskatchewan Government
Insurance (SGI). Starting last fall, SGI has committed $225,000 over
three years to create the SGI Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Undergraduate
Data Science, and Computer Science Curriculum and Development and
Teaching at the University of Regina.
“We saw this fellowship as
a way to invest in the development of data science skills inside the
province,” says Robert Osicki BSc’06, Vice President Product Management
& Corporate Underwriting at SGI. “SGI has a long-standing
partnership with the University of Regina and we are continually
impressed by the programs offered by the University and the graduates
that come out of these programs. Many graduates of the U of R go on to
be leaders in our organization and others. We are very confident that
the programs born out of this fellowship will be successful and will
serve students and the Saskatchewan economy well.”
Similar to
the hub in a wheel, the new SGI Post-Doctoral Fellowship in data science
brings together the different spokes of teaching, research, and
industry application, in order to create positive community impact and
career-ready recruits.
“Almost 20 years ago, the University
responded to a need for home-grown expertise in actuarial science by
creating an entire undergraduate Bachelor of Science program in
actuarial science,” explains Dr. Douglas Farenick, Dean of the Faculty
of Science. “This program has transformed how many Saskatchewan
companies, including SGI, operated by bringing mathematical analysis
into their primary activities. Recent discussions with some U of R
alumni who now have leadership roles at SGI underscored a need for
analytical thinking in areas beyond actuarial science; these discussions
were a catalyst for developing the post-doctoral fellowship in data
science.”
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| (Left to right): Robert Osicki, Dr. Mo Mirbagheri, Dean Dougals Farenick SGI partners with the University of Regina to develop a strong academic foundation for data science teaching, research, and industry application in Saskatchewan, through the SGI Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Data Science. Photo: Robert Osicki, Dr. Mo Mirbagheri, U of R Photography |
Data science is a growing field of study across many academic
disciplines from mathematics and computer science to business,
medicine, and engineering. As a result, qualified graduates in data
science are in high demand to bring this much needed skillset to a broad
range of industries and help them meet the needs of society. For
example, energy companies use data science to predict demand and
consumption in order to ensure a stable supply of energy, and credit
card companies employ data science to identify and prevent fraudulent
activities.
“Data is constantly generated by machines
surrounding us such as mobile applications, sensor devices, and software
programs,” explains Dr. Mo Mirbagheri, who earned his PhD in computer
science from the U of R and was hired as the SGI Fellow in September
2020. “It is also very important for us to study the raw data, which
contains a large amount of information, in order to understand it.”
Through
the support of the SGI Post-Doctoral Fellowship, the University’s new
focus on data science in undergraduate and graduate studies will
contribute to the Institution’s strategic goal of graduating
career-ready students.
“At the moment, our vision for data
science at the undergraduate level involves many disciplines, including
biology, computational science, statistics, and mathematics,” explains
Farenick. “The multidisciplinary feature should make the program
available to many Bachelor of Science students.”
In his role as
SGI Fellow, Mirbagheri is leading the development of computing courses
taught at the undergraduate level, as well as a new graduate-level
program.
“I’m excited to be a part of the group working on
the upcoming program,” says Mirbagheri, who participates in the newly
created University of Regina Data Science Working Group, which was
formed to support a rigorous academic foundation in data science across
units at the University. “The Department of Computer Science is going to
offer a brand-new data science program at the graduate level in
September. So, we have been focusing on the development of a
comprehensive program which will train high-quality prospective
employees or entrepreneurs for the province and
Canada.”
In addition, Mirbagheri liaises with
industry and the public to ensure the need for data science in industry
application and community-based research is met.
“The
investment in this fellowship deepens the partnership we have enjoyed
with the U of R over the past many years,” says Osicki. “It’s been a
partnership in the truest sense of the word. It has enabled SGI to have a
dialogue with the University about what skills and knowledge are
important to the insurance industry and more broadly. Our partnership
has also strengthened our relationship with the students and has helped
SGI find countless recruits who are adding so much value to our
organization. It’s a true win-win.”
Research is part of the Discovery area of focus in the University of Regina’s 2020-2025 Strategic Plan kahkiyaw kiwȃhkomȃkȃninawak – All Our Relations.
The University values and supports an environment that allows for
high-quality teaching, research, and learning that strengthens the
academic successes of our students and faculty and improves the lives of
Canadians.
Developing the University of Regina's Impact & Identity is part of our 2020-2025 Strategic Plan kahkiyaw kiwȃhkomȃkȃninawak – All Our Relations.
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serving the social, cultural, economic, environmental, and technological
needs of our communities.