DOLLARS FOR DATA: As big data makes its way into more industries, and high-profile data breaches and privacy scandals overtake headlines, universities are trying to better equip data scientists for the future. The latest is the University of Virginia, which Friday announced it has received a $120 million donation to build a new school of data science. The donation is the largest private gift that the state’s flagship university has received.
University of Virginia plans to use the funds to offer a new master’s program and bachelor degree in data science, the Washington Post reports.
“The topic of data science is all around these days,” U-Va. President James E. Ryan told the Post. “Some people might think it’s faddish, but it’s far from that. The explosion of data and the opportunities it offers across an enormous array of fields to me is nothing short of breathtaking.”
