On this page: Overview • Program Components • Data Assistantships (DAs) • Communication Workshop • Entrepreneurship Workshop • People
Overview
Sponsored by a National Science Foundation Research Traineeship (NRT) grant, the FUTURE program takes an innovative and transformative approach to training PhD students in the field of Data Science.
The FUTURE program at NYU’s Center for Data Science (CDS) offers an innovative approach to PhD training in Data Science. Supported by a National Science Foundation Research Traineeship (NRT) grant, the program prepares students to become leading data scientists equipped with cross-disciplinary skills and ethical awareness.
In today’s data-driven world, the field of data science is evolving rapidly. At CDS, there is a recognition of the need for a new breed of researchers and practitioners who can navigate this complex landscape. The program goes beyond traditional domain-specific training, offering a comprehensive education that bridges disciplines and emphasizes ethical responsibility.
For the duration of this NSF-funded program, all PhD students at CDS are designated Future Trainees.
FUTURE trainees will develop skills to:
- Apply advanced methodologies to solve problems across various fields
- Communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders
- Translate research insights into practical applications
- Consider the ethical implications of data science work
Through an innovative curriculum, unique data assistantships, and specialized workshops, students will be prepared to make transformative discoveries and advance responsible data science practices.
Program Components
Core Curriculum
FUTURE trainees are required to take five core courses:
- Introduction to Data Science (DS-GA 2003)
- Probability and Statistics for Data Science (DS-GA 1002)
- Machine Learning (DS-GA 1003)
- Big Data (DS-GA 1004)
- Inference and Representation (DS-GA 1005)
We also highly recommend the Responsible Data Science course (DS-GA 1017).
These requirements must be completed by the end of the third semester, or evidence of equivalent coursework must be provided.
Data Assistantships (DAs)
A key feature of the FUTURE program is our Data Assistantship mechanism.
These experiences provide hands-on training through rotations, internships, and research opportunities with our partners:
- NYU School of Medicine
- Industry leaders (e.g., Facebook, Samsung)
- Startup ecosystems
- Local government
- Ethics think-tanks (GovLab)
- Research foundations (Flatiron Institute)
To complete a DA, students enroll in DS-GA 2001 Research Rotation and earn 18 credits by the end of their 6th semester.
DAs focus on developing skills in:
- Understanding application domains and scientific objectives
- Evaluating and applying data science methods to real-world problems
- Communicating with domain experts and the public
- Incorporating ethical considerations and reproducibility in your work
Communication Workshop
Effective communication is crucial for success in data science. A structured 1-credit workshop helps develop critical written and verbal communication skills, preparing students to engage with diverse audiences.
Entrepreneurship Workshop
For those interested in commercializing research or launching startups, we offer an optional workshop in collaboration with the NYU Entrepreneurial Institute. Based on “The Lean Launchpad” course, this hands-on experience teaches you about building a high-tech venture and using tools like the Business Model Canvas.
People
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Brian McFee
- Co-Principal Investigators: Kyunghyun Cho, Carlos Fernandez-Granda, Brenden Lake, Cristina Savin, Daniel Sodickson, Julia Stoyanovich, and Julia Kempe.
- Evaluator: Denis Gray
- Program Coordinator: Tina Lam, Assistant Director of Graduate Programs
Partners
- Dafna Bar-Sagi, Senior Vice President and Vice Dean for Science at NYU Langone School of Medicine, on behalf of the School of Medicine
- Leslie Greengard, Director, Center for Computational Mathematics
- Shirley Ho, Group leader, Cosmology X Data Science Group, Center for Computational Astrophysics, on behalf of the Flatiron Institute of the Simons Foundation
- Daniel Lee, Executive Vice President at Samsung Research and Tisch University Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Cornell Tech, on behalf of Samsung Research
- Jason Schultz, Professor of Clinical Law, Director of NYU’s Technology Law Policy Clinic
- Rebecca Silver, Associate Director of the NYU Entrepreneurial Institute
- Stefaan Verhulst, Co-Founder and Chief Research and Development Officer, on behalf of the Governance Laboratory (GovLab) at NYU