{"id":88530,"date":"2022-04-19T15:20:27","date_gmt":"2022-04-19T19:20:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/?post_type=bu-article&#038;p=88530"},"modified":"2022-06-27T09:39:58","modified_gmt":"2022-06-27T13:39:58","slug":"opening-doors-in-data-science","status":"publish","type":"bu-article","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/record\/articles\/2022\/opening-doors-in-data-science\/","title":{"rendered":"Opening Doors in Data Science"},"content":{"rendered":"\t<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin record-block-editorial-leadin is-style-text-over-image has-media has-box has-media-focus-center-middle has-text-position-x-right has-text-position-y-top has-primary-theme\">\n\t\t<div class=\"container-lockup\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-leadin-media\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<img width=\"2000\" height=\"1700\" src=\"\/law\/files\/2022\/04\/man-coding-by-mars-unsplash.jpg\" class=\"\" alt=\"A Black man sits at a computer, coding\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2022\/04\/man-coding-by-mars-unsplash.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2022\/04\/man-coding-by-mars-unsplash-636x541.jpg 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2022\/04\/man-coding-by-mars-unsplash-1024x870.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2022\/04\/man-coding-by-mars-unsplash-768x653.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2022\/04\/man-coding-by-mars-unsplash-1536x1306.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2022\/04\/man-coding-by-mars-unsplash-972x826.jpg 972w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2022\/04\/man-coding-by-mars-unsplash-802x682.jpg 802w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2022\/04\/man-coding-by-mars-unsplash-1214x1032.jpg 1214w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2022\/04\/man-coding-by-mars-unsplash-1554x1321.jpg 1554w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2022\/04\/man-coding-by-mars-unsplash-405x344.jpg 405w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2022\/04\/man-coding-by-mars-unsplash-622x529.jpg 622w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2022\/04\/man-coding-by-mars-unsplash-809x688.jpg 809w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2022\/04\/man-coding-by-mars-unsplash-1245x1058.jpg 1245w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2022\/04\/man-coding-by-mars-unsplash-1605x1364.jpg 1605w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2022\/04\/man-coding-by-mars-unsplash-1944x1652.jpg 1944w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2022\/04\/man-coding-by-mars-unsplash-1176x1000.jpg 1176w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin-caption wp-prepress-component-caption\">Photo by Mars via Unsplash<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-outer\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-inner\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-prepress-tag\">Alumni<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"head\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOpening Doors in Data Science\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"deck\">Steven Keith Platt (\u201983), a tax lawyer turned AI expert, is working to introduce students from underrepresented communities to the growing field of data science.<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar record-prepress-layout-metabar\">\n\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-date\">April 19, 2022<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-credits\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul data-credit-type=\"By\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/record\/authors\/corinne-steinbrenner\/\">Corinne Steinbrenner<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-share js-bu-prepress-share-tools\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-twitter\"><span>Twitter<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-facebook\"><span>Facebook<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-action\"><\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\n<p>Last summer, 100 middle and high school students from Chicago\u2019s West Side neighborhoods logged into online classes focused on the intersection of data science and sports. During the six-week summer camp, they explored sensors and wearable technologies and ultimately designed and programmed their own piece of movement-tracking tech. The classes were a collaboration between the Chicago Parks District and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blackkidspredict.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Black Kids Predict<\/a> (BKP), an organization cofounded by BU Law graduate Steven Keith Platt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image alignfarright\"><figure class=\"alignright size-medium is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/law\/files\/2022\/04\/steven-keith-platt-424x636.jpg\" alt=\"Steven Keith Platt (Questrom\u201979, LAW\u201983, LLM\u201986) \" class=\"wp-image-88701\" width=\"318\" height=\"477\"\/><figcaption>Photo courtesy of Steven Keith Platt<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>BKP\u2019s mission is to help close the diversity gap in data literacy. According to the organization\u2019s website, BKP curriculum \u201cexpands 6th-12th grade kids\u2019 idea of data and computer sciences from a geeky desk job they don\u2019t want to a superpower that can help them predict and improve fun outcomes in the real world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Platt (Questrom\u201979, LAW\u201983, LLM\u201986) teaches artificial intelligence (AI) and applied analytics at Loyola University Chicago and previously taught at nearby Northwestern University. During his years as a lecturer at Northwestern, he says, he noticed a distinct lack of diversity among the students in his courses. Subsequent research showed the problem wasn\u2019t unique to his campus: in the US, Black and Hispanic students have long been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/science\/2021\/04\/01\/stem-jobs-see-uneven-progress-in-increasing-gender-racial-and-ethnic-diversity\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">underrepresented<\/a> in computer science, engineering, and related programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cData science is a burgeoning field with tons of great opportunities,\u201d Platt says. Recruiters contact him nearly every day, he adds, looking for students to fill their high-paying positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wanting all young people to have access to these opportunities, Platt reached out to industry colleagues two years ago and asked for their help creating a pipeline to bring students from underrepresented communities into their growing field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe put our heads together and did a whole bunch of research and came up with a concept, which is that you\u2019ve got to intercept youth at a pretty early age,\u201d Platt says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-bu-pullquote record-block-bu-pullquote alignwide is-style- has-image-focus-center-middle has-primary-theme\"><div class=\"wp-block-bu-pullquote-inner\"><figure><\/figure><blockquote><div class=\"container-lockup\"><div class=\"container-icon-outer\"><div class=\"container-icon-inner\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"container-text\"><hr\/><div class=\"quote-sizing\">One of the core pillars of BKP is linking data literacy to outcomes in the real world. We know that data and data science on its face value is not exciting to a 12-year-old. However, if we can show how data links to areas of their lives that they find fun\u2014like sports, music, dance, etc.\u2014we can open up a whole new conversation and curiosity about how data relates to what gets kids excited.<\/div><footer class=\"caption\">Zipporah Allen, BKP cofounder<\/footer><hr\/><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s why BKP\u2014the organization Platt and his colleagues eventually created\u2014focuses on students as young as middle school. Platt and his BKP cofounders knew they couldn\u2019t expect sixth graders to sit through college-style lectures, so they searched for an interesting angle to catch their target audience\u2019s attention. They decided to use sports and sport technologies (like a <a href=\"https:\/\/siqbasketball.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">smart basketball<\/a> that provides shooting analytics) as a fun and relatable hook for drawing kids into data science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOne of the core pillars of BKP is linking data literacy to outcomes in the real world\u201d says Zipporah Allen, BKP cofounder and a senior marketing executive with experience at brands such as McDonald\u2019s and Taco Bell. \u201cWe know that data and data science on its face value is not exciting to a 12-year-old. However, if we can show how data links to areas of their lives that they find fun\u2014like sports, music, dance, etc.\u2014we can open up a whole new conversation and curiosity about how data relates to what gets kids excited.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last year\u2019s collaboration with the Chicago Parks District was a success, and BKP plans to offer similar classes again this summer through an expanded network of partners, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.district65.net\/Page\/2329\">Camp Kuumba<\/a>, a summer program aimed at creating opportunity for Black students in the Chicago suburb of Evanston. Platt hopes these summer camps are just the beginning. BKP is adding members to its board, he says, and is in talks with more potential partners, including the Chicago Bulls, Chicago Bears, and Indiana Pacers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Platt discovered his passion for data science two decades ago. He began his career practicing tax law and then worked in investment banking before launching a consulting firm focused on retail analytics in 2001. He started teaching in 2014. In his applied AI course at Northwestern, students learned about how AI can be applied in retail settings to solve real problems for real clients\u2014helping the clothing retailer H&amp;M predict how many dresses it would sell in different sizes and helping the grocery service Peapod forecast delivery volumes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve always been analytics oriented,\u201d Platt says. From his undergraduate days as a finance and marketing major to his years in tax law, he\u2019s been interested in mathematics and technology. When he discovered analytics and AI, he knew he\u2019d found a field that would capture his attention for a long time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe field is evolving so rapidly. It constantly changes,\u201d he says. \u201cIt requires a ton of effort to stay on top of, and I find that really intellectually challenging and fulfilling.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Teaching data science to newcomers is especially rewarding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-end-of-article\">\u201cYou have to know about technology, statistics, linear algebra, calculus, algorithms, modeling, and all that fun stuff,\u201d Platt says, \u201cso it\u2019s a very complex field in certain respects.\u201d Breaking down that complexity enough to teach it to college students, he says, has been a massive challenge. Making the field accessible to middle schoolers will require even more energy and creativity, but Platt and his BKP colleagues believe the effort will be worth it if they can help diversify the data science profession\u2014or simply expose more kids to the idea that data is a powerful tool, not just in sports, but in every industry.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Last summer, 100 middle and high school students from Chicago\u2019s West Side neighborhoods logged into online classes focused on the intersection of data science and sports. The classes were a collaboration between the Chicago Parks District and Black Kids Predict (BKP), an organization cofounded by BU Law graduate Steven Keith Platt.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11260,"featured_media":88528,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"bu_prepress_billboard":"","_bu_prepress_primary_term":"Alumni","_bu_prepress_primary_term_manual":""},"tags":[3900],"bu-publication":[3742],"record-article-category":[3744,3776,3775],"record-topic":[],"bu_edition":[],"media_type":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/88530"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/bu-article"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11260"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=88530"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/88530\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":91171,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/88530\/revisions\/91171"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/88528"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=88530"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=88530"},{"taxonomy":"bu-publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-publication?post=88530"},{"taxonomy":"record-article-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/record-article-category?post=88530"},{"taxonomy":"record-topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/record-topic?post=88530"},{"taxonomy":"bu_edition","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu_edition?post=88530"},{"taxonomy":"media_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media_type?post=88530"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}