Clark Atlanta University teaches their students to “find a way or make one.”

Looks like they’re making it easier for those interested in data science to build a career in the space.

Per a news release, the school recently made history as the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) to receive a $10 million award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) program to establish the National Data Science Alliance (NDSA).

According to the news release, the “NDSA is aiming to increase the number of Black people earning data science credentials by at least 20,000 by 2027 and expand data science research that advocates for social justice and strive to eliminate bias.”

Data science has notoriously struggled with racially biased algorithms that adversely affect BIPOC communities. For example, in a well-known experiment, recruiters selected resumes with “white-sounding” names by training an algorithm to automatically filter out “black-sounding” names.

To mitigate this type of discrimination, this CAU’s program is aiming to equip students with resources to build and operate AI systems. “This is a monumental accomplishment for the HBCU community as a whole, and we at Clark Atlanta University are deeply honored to perpetuate institutional mission through data science,” said President George T. French Jr., Ph.D in a news release. “Clark Atlanta University has deep roots in conducting data science research that promotes equity, including the seminal works of scholar and former faculty member W.E.B. Du Bois on these hallowed grounds. This historic award exemplifies our commitment to ensuring competitive advantage for students to succeed and excel in our data-driven society.”

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