Ļć½¶Ö±²„

MSUā€™s data science student-researchers tackle national, global issues

MSUā€™s data science student-researchers tackle national, global issues

Contact: Mary Pollitz

STARKVILLE, Miss.ā€”Though the program is just under two years old, Mississippi Stateā€™s data science students are already making national and global impacts with high-tech research.

The data science department looks at these students, not as student workers, but as researchers using data, science, analytics and more to solve real-life problems, said Mimmo Parisi, executive director of the Data Science Academic Institute at MSU.

"These students embody our commitment to fulfilling the expectations of a new model for higher education," he said. "We aim to prepare our students toĀ  be relevant to the needs of the growing digital economy and to ensure they are workforce-ready from day one upon graduating from our university."

Mississippi State data science studentsā€™ research solves real-world problems through artificial intelligence. From left, Samata Luintel, Joshua King, Soyab Karki, Olivia Goodman, Riley Tuccio and Penelope Prochnow. (Photo by Sarah Kirk)
Mississippi State data science studentsā€™ research solves real-world problems through artificial intelligence. Pictured from left are Samata Luintel of Nepal, Joshua King of Atlanta Georgia, Soyab Karki of Nepal, Olivia Goodman of Bethalto, Illinois, Riley Tuccio of Brandon, and Penelope Prochnow of Ocean Springs. (Photo by Sarah Kirk)

Several Ļć½¶Ö±²„data science majors are working as undergraduate researchers and finding ways artificial intelligence can play a beneficial role in todayā€™s society. The research projects span from using public data to measure financial effects on athletic performance and detecting deep-fake audio clips to streamlining reporting for the Mississippi Supreme Court, using weather data to predict viability of corn crops against mycotoxins, and increasing the accuracy of demography for federal and state funding.

Samata Luintel, a data science sophomore, enrolled with the university specifically for this program, its staff and undergraduate research program. Ā Ā 

ā€œThe data science faculty here have a lot to offer with practical labs where you can apply what you learn and a lot of research opportunities,ā€ she said. ā€œItā€™s what brought me here all the way from Nepal.ā€

Luintel researches deep-fake audio generations and is working to decipher reality from computer generated audio used to spread misinformation.

ā€œThis research matters because right now we donā€™t have any specific technologies we can go to and know whether something is authentic or not,ā€ she said.

Video by Sarah Kirk

Levi Stevens, a freshman from Columbus, had an early interest in AI and data science. When applying to schools, he quickly learned Ļć½¶Ö±²„prioritized investing in this new wave of technology.

ā€œData science is what made me want to come to State. The major of data science is up and coming. Itā€™s very common in jobs but colleges arenā€™t offering it very often,ā€ he said. ā€œSeeing this at Ļć½¶Ö±²„really drove me here and I was excited about the opportunity.ā€

When MSUā€™s program was launched in 2022 it became one of only two in the Southeastern Conference and among less than 75 nationwide offering students a rare pathway to the growing field.

ā€œMississippi State seems to be increasing its involvement in AI and data science,ā€ senior data science researcher Joshua King of Atlanta, Georgia, said. ā€œThe program is growing in a very rapid pace. Thatā€™s why I love it here.ā€

More information on the Bachelor of Science in Data Science and its concentrations is available atĀ .

Ļć½¶Ö±²„ is taking care of what matters. Learn more at .