Data science is the analysis of data to uncover patterns and make predictions. By using statistics, coding, and specific industry knowledge, data scientists inform decisions on topics ranging from finance to climate change.
Median annual salary
$0
People employed U.S.
0
Job growth score (out of 100)
0
What would you do?
Collect data from databases, APIs, and sensors
Analyze information with code to find trends and make insights
Program machine learning models to make predictions
Calculate statistical significance with math
Write reports on decisions based off data
Relationship toclimate change
Data science is the key to tackling climate change efficiently across industries, solutions, and through policy
To fight climate change, data scientists…
Target emissions
• Identify the biggest sources of pollution across the world
• Help companies decide where to cut emissions most effectively
Design better policy
• Simulate the impact of climate policy before it is implemented
• Provide feedback on policy based of data
• Track local and global government climate goals
Improve solutions
• Design EV charging networks based off location and usage data
• Determine locations to place solar and wind turbines
• Look at farms with satellites to detect crop stress and minimize waste
Protect from climate disasters
• Predict extreme weather events to warn people
• Simulate disasters to inform emergency planning
Use data science for these climate change solutions…
Daniel Cusworth is the Director of Science at Carbon Mapper, a nonprofit that strives to make carbon dioxide and methane data accessible. He uses data science to analyze satellite data and find greenhouse gas hotspots. Outside of tracking emissions, he loves watching baseball and movies.
Data science is a great fit if you’re interested in looking for meaning in data, understanding how the world works, and problem solving. Explore classes and project ideas to get started:
Recommended classes
High school:
Geometry
Precalc/Trigonometry
Calculus
Statistics
AP Computer Science Principles
AP Computer Science A
AP Microeconomics (helpful)
AP Macroeconomics (helpful)
Project ideas
Explore online datasets like global temperature, and create graphs for your area
Create models and predictions for wildfire risk
Estimate your community’s transportation emissions
Run surveys to gather community data related to climate change
Provide feedback on local environmental policy based of data
