The 2023 CELEHS/HMS Data Science Summer Program concluded last week with the presentation of 7 newly built self-driving cars from 3 teams in San Jose, CA and 4 teams in Boston, MA. In their presentations, students elaborated on the difficulties they overcame in building and programming their cars to drive around obstacles ranging from bottles to backpacks. The experience gave 28 students a taste of some of the challenges and opportunities in machine learning, and some of the ways it is being applied across diverse fields in academic research and industry.
The program relied on the dedication and energy of a number of people. Particular thanks go to Program Co-Directors Tianxi Cai, Jesse Gronsbell and Junwei Lu, Deputy Director Vidul Ayakulangara Panickan, Program Administrators Mo Moro and Amanda King, Boston TAs including Michelle Li and Emily Gao, San Jose TAs including Thong Ngo, Winston Cai, and Evan Yang, and a huge roster of guest speakers including Aaron Sonabend, Biostats alum and one of the originators of the program. Thanks also to San Jose State University and Hui Wang of PayPal Global Data Science for the support of the California site, as well as the non-profit PARSE for institutional support.
We look forward to next year when we hope to tap some of this year’s program alums to share their newly acquired statistical, building and programming skills as teaching buddies.
