Assistant professor Getting Data Science Done Across Borders

An assistant professor in the University of Calgary's Department of Computer Science is taking his expertise to universities in Africa.

Dr. Andy Asare, PhD, who joined UCalgary earlier this year and specializes in data science and analytics, travelled to Rwanda and Ghana this summer to promote data science programs as part of his Getting Data Science Done Across Borders project.

“There are huge disparities when it comes to multidisciplinary programs in data science and analytics between the West, Africa and other parts of the world,” says Asare. 

“I decided to start this project to bridge the gap.”

Some post-secondary institutions in Africa, he says, have computer science programs, but they don’t always include data science and analytics.

Data-driven solutions have the potential to address societal, business, health and economic challenges.

Asare, who was born and did his early education in Ghana, says it’s important to equip the next generation of African scholars with the necessary skills and knowledge.

Before visiting Africa, he organized an online symposium that brought together about 140 industry experts, faculty members and students from post-secondary institutions in Canada and Africa.

Asare then travelled to Africa in June and July to provide in-person training through development workshops, a three-day data science boot camp, conferences and seminars involving the University of Cape Coast, Ghana Communication Technology University and the University of Kigali.

“These practical events brought together students, researchers, faculty members and industry experts to create data-driven solutions,” Asare says.

“This project aimed to develop partnerships that would enhance faculty capacity development, student mobility, and knowledge exchange in data science and analytics.”

Asare also met with several key educational leaders in Rwanda and Ghana to discuss developing multidisciplinary programs in data science and analytics, organizing annual conferences, creating data science hubs, and building smart classrooms.

“I have outlined some strategic plans to sustain and expand this program as an ongoing project,” he says.

Asare says he has also called on the African universities to champion the programs and work with UCalgary and other international partners to come up with data-driven solutions to drive innovation, economic and social development across Africa and beyond.

His project, which continues this fall, has been supported by both the Faculty of Science and Professors without Borders.