• ST 115: Introduction to a Data Science Toolkit with R and GitHub
• Instructor: Dr. Elijah Meyer | [email protected]
• No prerequisites

This course will introduce students to basic computer programming using R, and also to the GitHub environment for managing and distributing software. It will also introduce basic topics in data science, including visualization. We are hoping to submit this course for GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives approval this year, but I obviously can’t make any promises about that! Course flier attached. Here’s the catalog description:

Students will learn the basic fundamentals of coding, which will then evolve into learning methods for discovering patterns in data through the use of effective data visualization tools, exploratory data analysis, and modeling techniques. They will gain experience working with real-world messy data, and use data tidying and data wrangling techniques to make the data suitable for exploration. Students will be required to reformulate discipline-specific research questions into data science questions. An emphasis will be placed on creating reproducible and shareable work. The course will highlight the importance of and uses of version control software [GitHub] for individual and collaborative work. The course will focus on the R statistical computing language.

• ST 495: Applied Biostatistics: From Study Design to Machine Learning
• Instructor: Dr. Brian Reich | [email protected]
• Prerequisites: ST 312 or ST 372; basic programming skills in any language (although the instructor will use R for illustration)

This course provides a broad introduction to modern biostatistical methods for analyzing complex, real-world health data. Core biostatistical tools include study design, causal inference, missing data methods, survival analysis, spatial-temporal modeling, and machine learning.  By pairing rigorous statistical treatment with practical, lab-based activities, students will be prepared to answer pressing clinical, epidemiological, and public-health questions.