Iona University Awarded National Science Foundation Grant to Expand Data Literacy Across Disciplines
New Rochelle, N.Y. — Iona University has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant of $399,999 to launch a groundbreaking initiative aimed at integrating data science education across multiple disciplines, enhancing data literacy for undergraduate students of all majors. The “Data Science for Future Leaders” initiative seeks to empower students with the essential skills required to navigate today’s data-driven world, regardless of their academic backgrounds.
“Given the fast pace of technological change and the pervasiveness of data in all sectors, basic data literacy is becoming an indispensable skill across all fields,” said Sunghee Lee, Ph.D., Board of Trustees endowed professor of chemistry and principal investigator of the NSF grant. “Our goal is to ensure that students from all majors—whether in the sciences, business, social sciences or the humanities—gain the foundational skills needed to thrive.”
Fostering Data Literacy in a Rapidly Evolving World
Sunghee Lee, Ph.D.
Over the next three years at Iona, three cohorts of four faculty each will develop data science modules that can be easily incorporated into their curricula. These faculty will produce a robust library of data science modules that will be piloted in their classes and widely disseminated to help integrate data science principles across various educational contexts beyond Iona University.
Congratulations to Iona’s first cohort of Faculty Fellows:
- Jimena Perry, History: Interactive Digital Mapping Module: Exploring Latin American History and Diversity Across Disciplines
- Amal Alabbad, Accounting: Integrating Data Science into Accounting Education: A Module Approach
- Mitchell Bard, Media & Strategic Communication: Visualizing & Presenting Data: Data-Driven Journalism Module
- Jeffrey Schriber, Chemistry: Introduction to Data Science in Molecular Sciences: A Focus on Drug Discovery and Health Inequality Analysis
Founded in 1940 and inspired by the legacy of the Christian Brothers, Iona is a caring, close-knit academic community serving many first-generation students. Grounded in the mission of service, justice, opportunity and the transformative power of education, Iona is particularly focused on ensuring that students from underrepresented groups gain the skills necessary to compete in a data-driven economy.
“Data science has become an integral part of a liberal arts education,” said Tricia Mulligan, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president of Academic Affairs at Iona. “By integrating data literacy across the curriculum, we are preparing our students to address the emerging questions and challenges they will face in the workforce and in society.”
Special thanks to the Iona faculty and NSF grant co-principal investigators who have been dedicated to furthering data science at Iona: Smiljana Petrovic, computer science; Benjamin Gaines, mathematics; Jeanne Zaino, political science; and Nora Slonimsky, history.
Dr. Gunn Enli, center, professor and vice dean at the University of Oslo, joined Dr. Jeanne Zaino and Iona students on Oct. 2, 2024, for a discussion about authenticity, artificial intelligence and candidate appeal ahead of the 2024 U.S. presidential election. The event was hosted as part of Iona’s NSF fall workshop schedule.
Florence Hudson, executive director of the Northeast Big Data Innovation Hub at Columbia University, presented on Oct. 23, 2024, about data science and society as part of Iona’s NSF fall workshop schedule.
ABOUT IONA
Founded in 1940, Iona University is a master's-granting private, Catholic, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers. Iona's 45-acre New Rochelle campus and 28-acre Bronxville campus are just 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. With a total enrollment of nearly 4,000 students and an alumni base of more than 50,000 around the world, Iona is a diverse community of learners and scholars dedicated to academic excellence and the values of justice, peace and service. Iona is highly accredited, offering undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, science and business administration, as well as Master of Arts, Master of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees and numerous advanced certificate programs. Iona students enjoy small class sizes, engaged professors and a wide array of academic programs across the School of Arts & Science; LaPenta School of Business; NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences; and Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Iona is widely recognized in prestigious rankings, including The Princeton Review’s 2025 national list of “The Best 390 Colleges” and The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse’s “2024 Best Colleges in America,” which ranked Iona at #66 in the nation overall and #8 in the nation among Catholic schools. Iona’s LaPenta School of Business is also accredited by AACSB International, a recognition awarded to just six percent of business schools worldwide. In addition, The Princeton Review recognized Iona’s on-campus MBA program as a “Best Business School for 2023.” Iona also offers a fully online MBA program for even greater flexibility. In July 2021, Iona announced the establishment of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences, which is now principally located on Iona’s Bronxville campus in collaboration with NewYork-Presbyterian. Connecting to its Irish heritage, the University also recently announced it is expanding abroad with a new campus in County Mayo, Ireland. A school on the rise, Iona officially changed its status from College to University on July 1, 2022, reflecting the growth of its academic programs and the prestige of an Iona education.