Paths and Perspectives on Being a Data Scientist: Anatomy and Physiology

Abstract:

While many educators are trying to look forward and develop or adapt degree programs, curricula and even courses for prospective data scientists, not many are able to reflect on and draw from the long look back into their career path and choices related to data science. Given the considerable hype and co-opting of the term Data Science by business and government, its roots are in numerous scientific research fields. This contribution offers the author's path in data science, assessed and framed in terms of the anatomy and physiology of a data scientist; quite literally the "body" parts and functions and the function of the "body", or the data scientist as-a-whole. Pivoting to the prospectives for both data science research and education, course, curricula and degree programs are mapped to data science functions and how they work together. The conclusion is that data science must become embedded in all degree and continuing programs, lest it be misconstrued as a separate discipline. Ideas and experience on how this embedding may be accomplished are also offered for discussion.