About DSI
Our Mission
The Data Science Institute (DSI) at Columbia University strives to be a force for change. We advance the state-of-the-art in data science; transform all fields, professions, and sectors through the application of data science; and ensure the responsible use of data to benefit society.
Drawing on Columbia’s strengths in computer science, statistics, and industrial engineering and operations research, DSI was launched in 2012 to unite our expertise and a University-wide interest in this revolutionary approach. The University is a trailblazer in the field and is uniquely poised to expand data science to every corner of the institution.
We train the next generation of data scientists, develop innovative technology, foster collaborations in advancing techniques to interpret data and address pressing societal problems, and work closely with industry to bring promising ideas to market.
What is data science?
Although data science builds on knowledge from computer science, mathematics, statistics, and other disciplines, data science is a unique field with many mysteries to unlock: challenging scientific questions and pressing questions of societal importance.
Data science is the study of extracting value from data.
The three key words in this definition are study, extracting, and value.
Study includes both the art and science that guides any field of scientific pursuit. Data science shows great applicability to many domains and the demand for practicing data scientists far exceeds the supply.
Extracting emphasizes action on data. One or more transformations may need to occur to raw data before any value is gained. The data must be mined for its worth.
Value leaves it to the end user to determine what value is. For a large technology company, value can be pegged to revenue. For a policymaker, value can mean a justification for a policy change. For a scholar, value can simply mean the discovery of knowledge.
DSI by the Numbers
Leadership Team
Garud N. Iyengar
-
Data Science Institute
Avanessians Director of the Data Science Institute -
The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science
Professor of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research
Radhika Patel
-
Data Science Institute
Chief Operating Officer
Desmond Upton Patton
-
Data Science Institute
Associate Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion -
School of Social Work
Professor of Social Work
Ralph Scala
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Data Science Institute
Director of Development
Anna Spinner
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Data Science Institute
Executive Director, Communications
Sharon Sputz
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Data Science Institute
Executive Director of Strategic Programs
Ming Yuan
-
Data Science Institute
Associate Director for Academic Affairs -
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Professor of Statistics
Executive Committee
Omar Besbes
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Columbia Business School
Vikram S. Pandit Professor of Business
David Blei
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Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Professor of Statistics -
The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science
Professor of Computer Science
Mary C. Boyce
-
The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science
Dean and Morris A. and Alma Schapiro Professor
Shih-Fu Chang
-
The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science
Dean -
The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science
Morris A. and Alma Schapiro Professor
Ivan Corwin
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Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Professor of Mathematics
John P. Cunningham
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Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Professor of Statistics
Ester Fuchs
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School of International and Public Affairs
Professor of International and Public Affairs
George Hripcsak
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Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
Vivian Beaumont Allen Professor of Biomedical Informatics
Amy Hungerford
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Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Executive Vice President for Arts and Sciences and Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences - Ruth Fulton Benedict Professor of English and Comparative Literature
Garud N. Iyengar
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Data Science Institute
Avanessians Director of the Data Science Institute -
The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science
Professor of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research
Gary Miller
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Mailman School of Public Health
Vice Dean for Research Strategy and Innovation - Professor of Environmental Health Sciences
Serena Ng
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Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Edwin W. Rickert Professor of Economics
Desmond Upton Patton
-
Data Science Institute
Associate Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion -
School of Social Work
Professor of Social Work
Paul Sajda
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The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science
Vikram S. Pandit Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Professor of Radiology (Physics) and Electrical Engineering
Anna Spinner
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Data Science Institute
Executive Director, Communications
Eric L. Talley
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Columbia Law School
Isidor and Seville Sulzbacher Professor of Law
Chris H. Wiggins
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The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science
Associate Professor of Applied Mathematics and Systems Biology
Ming Yuan
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Data Science Institute
Associate Director for Academic Affairs -
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Professor of Statistics
Gil Zussman
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The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science
Professor of Electrical Engineering
Data and Society Council
Carme Artigas
- Secretary of State for Digitization and Artificial Intelligence, Government of Spain
Armen Avanessians
- Trustee, Council Co-Chair, EN’83, P: CC’12, CC’17, IA’17
- Chief Investment Officer of Quantitative Investment Strategies, Goldman Sachs
Herb Cunitz
- EN’85
- Board of Directors, DataRPM
Michael Donovan
- P: EN’13
- Vice Chairman, Board of Directors of MediaOcean
Shahram Ebadollahi
- EN’99, EN’02, EN’05, BU’16
- Global Head, Advanced Analytics, Novartis
Shawn Edwards
- EN’90, EN’95, P: EN’17
- Chief Technology Officer, Bloomberg
Roger Ehrenberg
- BU’93
- Founder and Managing Partner, Eberg Capital, IA Capital and IA Sports Ventures
Tom Fortin
- EN’86
- Managing Partner and Chief Operating Officer, iCapital Network
Ben Fried
- Council Co-Chair, CC’88
- Venture Partner, Rally Ventures
Grace Huang
- Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, iPinYou
Sara Jacobs
- CC’11, IA’11, IA’12 Scholar in Residence, Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, University of San Diego
Claire Le Gal
- BU’99
- Senior Vice President, Fraud Intelligence, Strategy & Cyber Products, Mastercard
Michael Leiter
- CC’91
- Partner, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
Mahmoud Naghshineh
- EN'94
- Vice President of AI Impact and Partnerships, IBM Research
Georgia Papathomas
- EN’73, EN’74, EN’78
- Advisor, Investor, Board Member
Jim Pastoriza
- EN’84
- Managing Partner, TDF Ventures
Arihant Patni
- GF'03
- Managing Director, Patni Financial Advisors
Deb Rieman
- GF’76, GF’78
- Executive Chairman of the Board, MetaMarkets
Alfred Z. Spector
- Technical Advisor, Two Sigma Investments
Kathryn Surace-Smith
- Trustee, LW'84
- Vice President and General Counsel, NanoString Technologies, Inc.
Simon Tavaré
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Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics
Herbert and Florence Irving Director -
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Professor of Statistics and Biological Sciences
Leonard Tow
- GF’52, GF’60, P: BC’87
- Founder and Chief Executive Officer, New Century Holdings
- Chairman, Tow Foundation
Richard E. Witten
- CC’75, P: CC’10, BUS’15, LAW’15
- Senior Managing Director, Orienta Group
- Managing Member, RSW Capital Management
HongJiang Zhang
- Venture Partner, SourceCode Capital
- Senior Advisor, Carlyle Group
- Chairman, Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence
Explore More
Data for Good
Every field has data. We use data to discover new knowledge, to interpret the world, to make decisions, and even to predict the future.
Learn MoreFocus Areas
DSI-affiliated faculty collaborate in interdisciplinary teams to gather and interpret data and address urgent problems facing our society.
Learn MoreWork with Us
Build together, grow together. We enjoy working on hard problems together because the hardest challenges are often the most rewarding.
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