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University of Calgary students making moves

University of Calgary students making moves

Plus, AI is top of mind in education.

Emily Edwards
August 13, 2023

Welcome to this week's Sunday Briefing. In this issue, read about the new data science program at Mount Royal University, plus 5 other stories you've probably missed. Have a great day. We'll see you again Wednesday.

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New MRU program to meet surging demand for data science and AI talent

The new four-year data science undergraduate degree program is the first of its kind in Alberta.

By a long shot, artificial intelligence is the technology that’s top of mind in boardrooms, newsrooms, and classrooms. And the thing is, for AI systems to be effective — to make predictions, to crunch numbers, to learn — they require huge amounts of data. Which, in a way, means the world needs more data scientists.

Mount Royal University is working on it. The local university is launching a four-year data science degree as demand for graduates in the discipline surges.

Students in the program — which will begin taking applications for a winter 2024 start with 50 students, then accept 100 students each fall — will explore the pillars of data science: math, statistics, computer science, and domain knowledge.

🗳️ Question of the Week

Is your work related to artificial intelligence? Tell us how.

🤝 Funding, Deals + Partnerships

The Start Alberta database has tracked $474M across 530 deals in seed investments in Alberta tech since 2010. Although last year was a standout for seed investments, take a look back on the last five years. Start Alberta

📰 Need To Know

‘A ton of horsepower’: Displaced oil and gas workers benefit from upskilling. Program provides technical training for transitioning workers. HR Reporter
U of C students develop a smartwatch technology to help individuals who are hearing impaired. The students have developed software that translates American Sign Language into English. The Gauntlet
U of C alumni wins 2023 PITCH competition with kitchen Airbnb start-up. Syzl is a commercial kitchen Airbnb that allows businesses to make money from their underutilized spaces and gives chefs and food-preparers a space to cook at a cheaper price. The Gauntlet
Global accelerator programs giving much-needed boosts to Alberta's AI-based startups. Technology is key part of business for many graduates of Alberta's Scaleup GAP. CBC News