July 2023
Dear new student of Data Science,
Over the course of three years, you will acquaint yourself with various aspects of data analysis. There are many elements to this. Sometimes we act like a sleuth on the lookout for clues about the world with nothing but the data to guide us. Sometimes we act as a helping hand to experts in other fields, who wish to use data to address a certain question that they have in mind. John Tukey, who was a pioneer in data science (long before the term existed), is attributed to saying
''The best thing about being a statistician is that you get to play in everyone's backyard.''
Indeed, this is part of the fun of being a data scientist, but it also means that we need to navigate a space of many different subjects and be versatile in translating back and forth between domain-specific questions and our technical representation. When we do it right, we hold immense power, but we also have to be very responsible not to mislead. Over the next three years, you will build yourself a toolbox as well as knowledge on how to use those tools responsibly.
When you come in August you should bring a small toolbox with enough essential tools to get you started:
- Laptop
You will use the laptop during classes and for group work. - Books
Get the reading material for your courses. Required materials are listed on the course pages in LearnIT. - Mathematics
You will need all the mathematical tools from high school. To get an idea of what these are (and what they are called in English) and perhaps revise any that you are unsure about, have a look at these notes (excluding the section on differential equations). You can also consider attending the BootMath workshop at ITU mid-August.
We will be doing a lot of programming during your studies and, since you are not expected to have any experience with programming before joining ITU, I strongly recommend that you make the most of the various primer sessions, we have listed under Academic activities: BootIT, Study Lab and Live Coding, offered at ITU in your first semester.
I look forward to welcoming you in August,
Therese Graversen
Head of Programme