Data Science Undergraduate Studies

Ten years ago, Data 8 began as a bold experiment: a small course created by faculty with a vision for an inclusive and interdisciplinary approach to teaching data science. Today, that vision has flourished into the nation’s #1 data science program and the largest major (and minor) at UC Berkeley. Together, we’ve shown what’s possible when innovation and inclusion come first — and the next chapter is just beginning.

We invite you to celebrate with us this fall through special events and initiatives honoring all that we’ve built together—and all that lies ahead.

As Data 8 marks its 10-year anniversary, Francie McQuarrie (B.A. ’20), Shoumik Jamil (B.A. ’19) and Angela Guan (B.A. ’21) came together to provide launch gifts for the Data 8 10-Year Anniversary Crowdfund, helping propel the course into its next decade.

For each, Data 8 was more than an introduction to data science, it was the start of something bigger. While their stories reflect a surface pattern of discovery in data science, each took away something unique and deeply personal from their experience.

When Nandita Radhakrishnan, B.A. ‘23, started at UC Berkeley with dreams of neuroscience research, she never imagined she'd end up creating policy tools that help states save millions in health care costs. 

Yet that's exactly where her path led — and why she has been selected as the inaugural recipient of the Distinguished Alum Award from UC Berkeley Data Science Undergraduate Studies (DSUS). This honor, granted to one recipient annually, recognizes an alum who "has exhibited outstanding leadership, impact, or innovation" using their data science education.

Already ranked #1 in the country by U.S. News and World Report, UC Berkeley’s Data Science major has recently become the largest on campus. 

This latest milestone reflects the Data Science Undergraduate Studies’ (DSUS) programmatic commitment to breaking down barriers to entry. Students in data science courses have access to free textbooks, tutoring, and cloud computing resources, ensuring that anyone—regardless of financial resources or prior experience—can explore and have tools to excel in data science. 

In the complex world of animal trafficking, Alexandra Stassinopoulos, B.A. ‘21 has found her niche using data to combat illicit networks. A graduate of UC Berkeley's data science program, Stassinopoulos now uses technology to track and disrupt wildlife crimes around the globe.

As conservation efforts increasingly look to solutions from technological innovation, Stassinopoulos represents a new generation of data scientists using their skills in unconventional fields to tackle social challenges.

In this episode, we sit down with Kyla Oh, Acting Dean of Math, Science, and Career Education at Berkeley City College. Kyla shares her unique path from engineering to patent law and now community college leadership. Together, we discuss the evolving role of community colleges in expanding access to data science education, as well as the challenges that come with building out new programs. Kyla discusses the importance of collaboration across departments and institutions as a means of expanding data science across schools, and highlights the power of support programs and internships to keep students motivated.

Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts

UC Berkeley experts received a $1.5 million grant from the California Education Learning Lab (Learning Lab) to launch a first-of-its-kind computing technology hub for the state’s public colleges and universities. The hub will provide access to students across the state to course materials built on the JupyterHub platform, a cloud-based, open-source system widely used in scientific and industrial workplaces. It will be staffed and run by Berkeley for several California higher education institutions, saving money, aligning curricula and facilitating transfer pathways for STEM students.