Students

The University of Pittsburgh’s strategy surrounding artificial intelligence will be practical, supporting students and the workforce, said Michael Colaresi, newly named director of the academic Hub for AI and Data Science Leadership.

By Katie Voigt

Editor's Note: This is part 2 of a four-part mini-series discussing Pitt's annual Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression Fair.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

By Emily Durning

As a senior undergraduate student nearing graduation, it can be jarring to think back to the state of AI, and more specifically Generative AI, my first semester of college. In late 2022, the first version of ChatGPT was gearing up to be released, meaning that while AI was still seeping its way into all walks of life, it had not yet hit the exponential increase of usage and integration that has been seen the past few years. 

We are excited to introduce the newest members of the Responsible Data Science (RDS) Student Scholars Program!

This program provides students with opportunities to engage in interdisciplinary training, collaborative projects, and responsible data science practices that connect classroom learning with real-world challenges.

Read more about the program.

The following was written by RDS student worker Anna Sheppard.

Last semester, Professor Meade Johnson’s Projects in Marketing class collaborated with the Fox Sports University program to create marketing campaigns for both the MLB All-Star Game in Atlanta, Georgia, and the Speedway Classic in Bristol, Tennessee.

Our class broke into teams to gather data and perform quantitative and qualitative data analysis to build the foundation of our marketing campaigns on data-driven insights.

During Data Science Day 2025, RDS@Pitt, the School of Computing and Information, and the College of Business Administration hosted a Solution Sprints Advisory Board Roundtable. This activity brought together students, staff, faculty, and industry professionals for fast-paced, collaborative work sessions centered on real-world applications of responsible data science, actionable insights, and networking.

In March, the University of Pittsburgh hosted its second annual Data Science Day, bringing together students, faculty and industry leaders to discuss the future of responsible data science and ethical AI.

University of Pittsburgh’s Data Science Day 2025 is excited to welcome Dr. Joseph T. Yun as a keynote speaker.

Dr. Yun, an artificial intelligence and innovation architect, also serves as a research professor of electrical and computer engineering at the Swanson School of Engineering.

At Data Science Day 2025, students have the opportunity to present their research, showcase innovative applications of data science and AI, and engage with experts across disciplines.

But beyond gaining valuable experience and networking, there is also an exciting opportunity to compete for a poster prize. 

This year, RDS@Pitt is awarding a $250 prize for an outstanding student poster that demonstrates excellence in responsible data science.