The Data Science Ambassadors program built capacity for data science literacy and training by connecting UA researchers with data science resources through a network of trained graduate students. By meeting researchers where they are, ambassadors bridged the gap between data science needs and the expansive landscape of data science training opportunities and expertise. The program was a multi-year collaboration between the UA Libraries and the Data Science Institute, with additional support from the College of Science and the College of Information Science. The program ran 2018-2026 and supported 56 graduate students drawn from 13 colleges.
How did it work?
The program fostered a cohort of graduate students who provided access to data science resources on campus to those researchers in their respective college. The program provided ambassadors with training in data science educational pedagogy and facilitated several communication channels among the ambassadors.
Why did this program exist?
- Ambassadors created bridges among campus units, affording their respective colleges greater connectivity to the data science community.
- The demand for data science training was not adequately being met, in part due to communication challenges among campus units.
Where to next?
While the Data Science Ambassadors program has run its course, there are still multiple resources to support your data science needs.
- The UA Libraries’ Data Cooperative hosts several workshops and consultations across disciplines.
- Large-scale data analyses and data visualization support are available through UITS’ Research Computing.
- The Arizona Institute for AI and Society provides AI-focused support across campus.
Additional questions can be directed to former directors of the program.
Former Ambassadors
2025-2026
- Brandon Barba, Clinical Translational Sciences, College of Medicine
- Yamini Bhukya, Educational Psychology, College of Education
- Rodrigo De La Vega Gomar, Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Science
- Jinyu Gao, Information Science, College of Information Science
- Katherine Gold, Chemistry, College of Science
- Hyowon Kim, Information Science, College of Information Science
- Macarena Llamas Molina, Linguistics, College of Humanities
2024-2025
- Mary Ahern, Nutritional Sciences. College of Agriculture, Life, and Environmental Sciences
- Annalise Hummel, College of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture
- Deepsana Shahi, College of Information Science
- Lee Taylor-Vaughan, College of Nursing
- Yuwei Wang, Chinese Linguistics, College of Humanities
2023-2024
- Christian Ayala-Ortiz, College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences
- Jingyi Li, Japanese Literature, College of Humanities
- Edwin Alvarado Mena, Government and Public Policy, College of Social & Behavioral Sciences
- Mario Morales, College of Public Health
- Lia Ossanna, School of Natural Resources and the Environment, College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences
- Salena Torres Ashton, School of Information
2022-2023
- Chen Chen, College of Humanities
- Rongbo Jin, School of Government and Public Policy, College of Social & Behavioral Sciences
- Lia Ossanna, School of Natural Resources and the Environment, College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences
- Salena Torres Ashton, School of Information
- Zisu Wang, Eller College of Management
- Sarah Yates, College of Medicine
2021-2022
- Karen De La Rosa, Senior Ambassador, Applied Intercultural Arts & Research GIDP, Graduate College
- Laura Dozal, School of Information
- Reza Ehsani, Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences
- James Hollister, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health
- Sarah Stueve, School of Information
- Linh Tran, Genetics
- Pankaj Vyas, College of Nursing
- Ethan Wissler, College of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture
2020-2021
- Kelsey Gonzalez, Senior Ambassador, College of Social & Behavioral Sciences
- Austin Rutherford, Senior Ambassador, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
- William Bresette, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
- Patrick Bunn, College of Science
- Kathryn Busby, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
- Greg Chism, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
- Karen De La Rosa, Applied Intercultural Arts & Research GIDP, Graduate College
- Lin Ji, College of Science
- Jonathan King, College of Science
- Dwight Nwaigwe, Applied Mathematics GIDP, Graduate College
- Laurie Sheldon, College of Education
- Isabella Viney, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
2019-2020
- Drake Asberry, College of Humanities, Second Language Acquisition & Teaching GIDP
- Brian Bell, Applied Mathematics GIDP
- Kelsey Gonzalez, College of Social & Behavioral Sciences
- Jennifer Kadowski, College of Science
- Torbet McNeil, College of Education
- Alex Pakalniskis, College of Social & Behavioral Sciences
- Adriana Picoral, Second Language Acquisition and Teaching GIDP
- Austin Rutherford, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
- Saren Seeley, College of Science
- Samir Rachid Zaim, College of Medicine - Tucson, Statistics & Data Science GIDP
2018-2019
- Amy Hudson, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
- Xiang Liu, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
- Joseph Long, College of Science
- Brian Maitner, College of Science
- Don Merson, College of Social & Behavioral Sciences
- Matt Miller, College of Science
- Cristian Román-Palacios. College of Science
Program Directors
- Jeff Oliver, jcoliver@arizona.edu, University of Arizona Libraries, 2018-2026
- Greg Chism, gchism@arizona.edu, College of Information Sciences, 2023-2026
- Adriana Picoral, apicoral@umn.edu, College of Science & Engineering (University of Michigan) 2020-2024
- Vignesh Subbian, vsubbian@arizona.edu, College of Engineering, 2018-2022