Document Type

Grant

Project Title

Bridging Theory and Practice: A Data-Driven Community Partnership to Optimize Maintenance Effectiveness

Principal Investigator

Daniel Wu

Publication Date

Fall 10-2026

College or Department

Information Systems and Computer Science

Award Date Range

9/2025 - 5/2026

Award Amount

1500

Abstract

This project established an immersive, industry-engaged learning experience that embedded Data Science students in a professional business environment through a partnership with Thiele Kaolin. Students applied advanced data mining, machine learning, and big data analytics techniques to large proprietary datasets to address authentic business challenges and generate actionable, data-driven insights. By working with complex real-world data, students bridged the gap between classroom theory and industry practice while gaining hands-on experience with the full data science workflow, including data preparation, exploratory analysis, predictive modeling, and results interpretation. The project also fostered critical thinking, teamwork, and professional competencies. Students collaborated in multidisciplinary teams, managed confidential business data under professional standards and Non-Disclosure Agreements, and communicated technical findings to non-technical stakeholders. These experiences strengthened their analytical reasoning, project management capabilities, ethical awareness, and professional communication skills, preparing them for future careers in data science and related fields. In addition, the project strengthened university-community engagement by establishing a meaningful partnership with a major regional employer. The collaboration created opportunities for knowledge exchange, workforce development, and future experiential learning initiatives. The project serves as a scalable model for integrating industry-sponsored analytics projects into the curriculum, enhancing student success while expanding the reach and impact of the GC Journeys initiative. Through this effort, students gained transformative experiential learning opportunities, the university strengthened community partnerships, and the industry partner benefited from data-driven insights that support informed business decision-making.

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