Fall 2021 saw the entry of the first student cohort to the Undergraduate Certificate in Data Analytics for the Petroleum Industry (CERT-DAPI). A generous gift from ConocoPhillips of $1,000,000 over five years has supported the development and operations of the program, and signifies ConocoPhillips’ commitment to help meet the growing demand for data science programs in universities. The program draws undergraduate students from the Colleges of Engineering, Science, Geosciences and the Mays Business School, and is administered jointly by the Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering and the Texas A&M Institute of Data Science.
Program Structure
The program is organized following the Curricular Paths framework developed by TAMIDS, which builds on students’ varied disciplinary preparation, culminating in interdisciplinary team projects in a practicum that was developed for the program. Students receive an education in concepts, computation, and case-based learning to prepare them for data analytics and machine learning careers. The certificate will provide opportunities for students to work on technical problems with global consequences in the energy industry. The awarding of the certificate recognizes students who are committed to further their education by preparing themselves for integrated data science and analytics roles in the petroleum industry.
According to Dr. Siddarth Misra, Associate Professor in the Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering, and academic Program Coordinator for CERT-DAPI: “The new certificate program trains Texas A&M undergraduate students to excel in data science skills and practical interdisciplinary understanding so they can solve global challenges faced by the petroleum industry. No one discipline can solve all the technical problems faced of the global petroleum industry. But, by bringing all these students from various diverse backgrounds together, we can solve the global petroleum industry challenges.”
As of Spring 2022 there are 14 students enrolled in the program. Prospective entrants can learn more about the certificate at the CERT-DAPI program webpage.
ConocoPhillips Data Science Graduate Assistantship
Included with this gift, ConocoPhillips supports Data Science Graduate Assistantships for graduate students involved in the delivery of the program. Matteo Caponi has been named the inaugural recipient of the Data Science Graduate Assistantship. Matteo is is his final year of his masters program studying Petroleum Engineering with a focus on Data Science Applications. “This assistantship supports me in my academic journey to further explore data science applications in the oil and gas industry“, says Matteo. His current research focuses on using spatial data for oil properties regression. In this assistantship role, Matteo support capstone design courses and will assist in design and delivery of the practicum.
ConocoPhillips Data Science Undergraduate Scholarships
The gift from ConocoPhillips supports the Data Science Scholarship Program for students enrolled in CERT-DAPI, with eligibility based on scholastic achievement and partial completion of certificate requirements. The $4,000 awards qualify scholars for the Non-resident Tuition Waiver for Competitive Scholarship Recipients. Further details on the scholarship program can be found on the CERT-DAPI program webpage.
Joseph Martini has been awarded one of ConocoPhillips Data Science Scholars Program scholarships. Joseph is a senior at Texas A&M studying Petroleum Engineering, and is studying towards both CERT-DAPI and the Petroleum Ventures Program (PVP). “I am very grateful for the financial support ConocoPhillips has provided to me through this scholarship. Without scholarships like this one, I would not be able to attend Texas A&M for the additional time necessary to complete the DAPI program and diversify my education. The relationship Texas A&M has with their industry partners, like ConocoPhillips, is truly remarkable and directly benefits students every semester“, says Joseph.
ConocoPhillips Data Science Faculty Fellows
Texas A&M faculty members who contribute to the development and operation of the program receive recognition as ConocoPhillips Data Science Faculty Fellows. Dr. Nick Duffield, TAMIDS Director, is pleased to announce the reappointment of the Data Science fellows for 2022.
The 2022 fellows are:
- David Bapst, instructional assistant professor, Department of Geology and Geophysics, College of Geosciences.
- Michael Ketzenberg, professor, Department of Information and Operations Management, Mays Business School.
- Siddharth Misra, associate professor and Douglas Von Gonten Faculty Fellow, Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering, College of Engineering and Academic Program Coordinator for CERT-DAPI
- Shahina Rahman, instructional assistant professor, Department of Statistics, College of Science, and TAMIDS Coordinator for Student Initiatives