UNC School of Data Science and Society

05/28/2026

Congratulations to Carolina students Vibhu Gomatam, Sara Gulabani, Michael Jenkins, Anaya Jethanandani, Asmita Nayak and Barrett White, winners of the Policy Brief Competition for their project: “Seeing What’s Invisible: Operationalizing Satellite Data and AI for ASEAN Food Security and Blue Economy Governance.”

This competition, hosted by UNC Global Affairs, gives students an opportunity to develop solutions to a real-world challenge in the form of a policy brief and submit it for review by a panel of global affairs professionals.

SDSS faculty member Neil Gaikwad, who has advised and mentored these students, explains: “My students have very different ways of thinking about AI and social good. They are trained technically. They can speak the language of AI scientists, but they can also speak the language of policy makers. The diplomats benefit because whatever recommendations the students make are science-backed.”

Congratulations, again, to these students! Read more about how these students are shaping U.S. foreign policy at the Carolina Stories website: https://go.unc.edu/TarHeelsShapeForeignPolicy

Story: Logan Ward, Carolina Giving
Photos: HuthPhoto, courtesy of UNC Global Affairs

05/28/2026

More scenes from a special day 🤩🩵

05/25/2026

This Memorial Day, we remember and honor the individuals, including Carolina alumni, who gave their lives in military service to our country.

We pause in gratitude and remembrance for those whose sacrifice will not be forgotten.

05/21/2026

At our 2026 graduation ceremony, graduates and one member of the Class of 2025's four alumni offered poignant reflections and thoughtful insights on uncertainty, growth and community.

“We did not have a fixed roadmap — we had a construction site. We were not just students — we were builders. And that uncertainty we carried at the beginning? It was never a weakness. It was the proof of our courage.” - Ijeoma “Winnie” Ekwegh, Master of Applied Data Science, class of 2026

“Remember that in data science, we are taught that the most important part of a model is not just the output; it is the context. You are that context. You are the future leaders that will ensure that as the world becomes more automated, it does not become any less human.” - Arth Vijaywargia, B.S. in Data Science, class of 2026

“There were only four of us and we made up the very first graduating class. It’s amazing how in just one year there are now more than 100 of you being celebrated here today.” - William Zahrt, B.S. in Data Science, class of 2025

Congratulations, again, to the 118 members of the class of 2026! 🎉
🎓Read a re-cap of the graduation ceremony: https://go.unc.edu/2026SDSSGraduationRecap

💼Join the SDIS Data Science Alumni LinkedIn group (open only to SDSS alumni): https://go.unc.edu/DataScienceAlumniLinkedIn

📷: HuthPhoto

05/19/2026

Earlier this month, we celebrated 78 graduates from the Master of Applied Data Science program — including veterans Ross Matheny and Anthony Gheen.

After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force, they balanced full-time work and graduate school while preparing for the next chapter of their careers in data science.

Read more about their journey from military service to the world of data science. https://go.unc.edu/VeteranMADSgrads

05/18/2026

We're proud of all of our graduates from the Master of Applied Data Science, including veterans Ross Matheny and Anthony Gheen.

Anthony Gheen and Ross Matheny applied skills they learned in the military to balance full-time jobs and graduate studies.

05/15/2026

Re-live all the moments of our 2026 Graduation Ceremony, including all the applause, cheers and hugs, celebrating your accomplishments and this milestone. https://go.unc.edu/2026SDSSGraduationRecap

📸: HuthPhoto

05/15/2026

Parents and families of teens, TONIGHT is an opportunity for your child to explore an interesting and important topic and get some free pizza.🍕

Come hear MADS lead faculty Francesca Tripodi discuss the social impacts of AI at Morehead Planetarium & Science Center! https://go.unc.edu/TeenScienceCafe

Join Morehead Planetarium & Science Center on Friday, May 15, from 6-7:30 p.m. for the final Teen Science Cafe of the school year!

In this session, teens will discuss the social impacts of AI with UNC SILS Associate Professor, Principal Investigator at CITAP and UNC School of Data Science and Society MADS Lead Faculty, Francesca Tripodi.

Open to teens ages 13-18, monthly cafes include exciting activities, engaging talks from expert speakers and even free food!

Doors will open at 6:00 pm for pizza and conversation. The program begins at 6:30 p.m. and wraps up around 7:30 p.m.

🔗 Learn more: https://moreheadplanetarium.org/calendar/teen-science-cafe-social-impacts-ai/

05/11/2026

Congratulations to the class of 2026! 🎓

Yesterday we celebrated YOU whose curiosity, passion and persistence brought you to this milestone, and thanked the families, friends, mentors and other supporters who helped you along the way.💙

As you step into careers across industries and communities, we know you will use data science not just to understand the world, but to improve it.

We can’t wait to see what you do next. But remember, no matter where you go, you'll always be a Tar Heel.🐏

Carolina Alumni

📷: HuthPhoto

05/10/2026

Oh what a night … congratulations, class of 2026

We look forward to celebrating SDSS students tomorrow at 2 p.m. at Memorial Hall. Join us or watch the livestream at go.unc.edu/2026SDSSgraduationlivestream.