A group photo of the 2026 DASIE Cohort along with their mentors in front of Mellon Institute.

The DASIE Chain: Students Become Data Analytics Ambassadors

By Kirsten Heuring Email Kirsten Heuring

Heidi Opdyke

Data is everywhere. From sports statistics and streaming recommendations to medical research and drug discovery, the amount of data at our fingertips will continue to grow. New careers will emerge as the amount of data increases, and to take advantage of these opportunities, students must develop the skills to pursue them.

黑料专区's weeklong Data Analytics for Science Immersion Experience (DASIE) helps students get an inside look at data-driven careers and paths.

A partnership between CMU鈥檚 Mellon College of Science, Dow, PPG and other industry leaders, DASIE helps students explore the growing field of data science through mentorship, hands-on learning and connections with university faculty, graduate students and industry professionals.

鈥淥ne of the biggest outcomes of DASIE is for students to get exposure to people, exposure to information and access to opportunities,鈥� said Michael Young, associate dean for community engagement in the Mellon College of Science, associate professor of mathematical sciences and head of DASIE. 鈥淲e鈥檙e seeing that happen, and we鈥檙e seeing students are creating exposure for others. It鈥檚 good for everybody.鈥�

For many students, those opportunities continue long after the program ends. DASIE alumni have gone on to graduate school and careers in data science, and two recent participants were inspired to create a similar program at their own university.

Building knowledge and a network

When University of Texas at Austin students Promise Dudley and Sarah Palayur traveled to Pittsburgh for DASIE in May 2026, they gained more than a better understanding of data science careers. Through conversations with researchers, graduate students and industry professionals, they gained mentors, expanded their networks and found new confidence to imagine their futures.

The program is designed to promote these outcomes. It introduces students to the possibilities within data science while helping them build the relationships and support systems needed to pursue them.

鈥淚t made graduate school seem more attainable,鈥� Palayur said. 鈥淭hey really convinced me that doing a master鈥檚 can set me apart from the rest of the crowd. A program like that might give me a better path to getting a job specific to my field.鈥�

Young said those connections are key.

鈥淚 was once a student facing similar uncertainties, and I remember being very unsure of what was next for me and if anybody was going to help me figure it out,鈥� Young said. 鈥淎 big part of the program is for the students experiencing that to connect with a number of people that can help them get answers and have ideas of what could be possible.鈥�

Besides meeting mentors, Dudley and Palayur also met each other. When they realized they were both UT Austin Longhorns, they decided to bring the same sense of community they experienced with DASIE back to Texas.

Promise Dudley and Sarah Palayur stand in front of a sign that says "UT x DASIE Welcome." They smile at the camera.
Promise Dudley and Sarah Palayur created an event inspired by DASIE at the University of Texas at Austin.

Bringing a Pittsburgh program to Texas

By the time they left Pittsburgh, Dudley and Palayur had a plan. Over the summer, they organized a two-day event for fellow UT Austin students based on their DASIE experience.

鈥淚 wanted the students who attended to know they鈥檙e not alone when navigating undergrad and thinking about grad school,鈥� Dudley said. 鈥淲e wanted them to have a better grasp of where they wanted their life to go.鈥�

Dudley and Palayur hoped to host 30 to 50 students; 100 expressed interest in attending. Speakers included University of Texas at Austin professors, alumni and professionals from data-focused fields.

Courtney Hsu, a Carnegie Mellon master鈥檚 student in and a UT alumna, shared her journey and highlighted resources related to data science and privacy governance.

鈥淒ata鈥檚 only going to become more important, so the better we understand it, the better we can improve how society works with it,鈥� Hsu said.

Moi Padilla, executive director of Carnegie Mellon鈥檚 Rales Fellows Program, also spoke at the event, providing guidance on graduate school applications and funding opportunities. He shared the Rales Fellows Program鈥檚 mission of empowering the next generation of STEM leaders by providing master鈥檚 and Ph.D. students with comprehensive financial support and professional development opportunities.

鈥淢y hope was that students left the session with a better understanding of what makes CMU a unique place, as well as some practical advice for preparing for graduate school,鈥� Padilla said. 鈥淚 wanted them to think about the experiences and activities they can pursue now to strengthen themselves as future graduate applicants.鈥�

Building a future for themselves and others

As they apply to graduate programs, Dudley and Palayur plan to stay connected to the students from the UT Austin event so they can share their process with the community they created. They aim to hold a similar event in the spring and increase the number of students who can attend.

At Carnegie Mellon, Young hopes to expand DASIE to extend opportunities to more students. In 2026, nearly 1,000 students applied for 29 spots, highlighting both the demand and impact of the program.

For Young, Dudley and Palayur鈥檚 experience represents what DASIE is designed to do: connect students with opportunities and empower them to create opportunities to others.

鈥淚 want students to be able to learn about and have access to opportunities,鈥� Young said. 鈥淭he program is doing that.鈥�