Lawrence, Kansas – April 25–26, 2025
Avila University participated in the 2025 Kansas Data Science Conference (KDSCON25), hosted by the Kansas Data Science Consortium (KDSC) at the University of Kansas. The two-day event gathered students, faculty, industry professionals, and community leaders to showcase outstanding data science projects, offer hands-on workshops, and enhance the data science capacity of the workforce in the state of Kansas.
The KDSC, is supported by the National Science Foundation’s EPSCoR program. The KDSC expands access to real-world data science opportunities by connecting students to trained data scientists, project repositories, and challenges presented by local, state, and federal government agencies, businesses, and nonprofit organizations.
The consortium currently includes seven academic institutions across Kansas: The University of Kansas, Kansas State University, Wichita State University, Baker University, Butler Community College, Donnelly College, and Johnson County Community College. This year’s conference was sponsored by the KDSC, with additional support from the University of Kansas College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Department of Psychology, and the Department of Economics.
Participation in KDSCON25 highlights the growing opportunities in the field of data science, a profession experiencing rapid expansion. In 2023, 202,900 jobs were tracked under data science occupations, with the field projected to grow by 26 percent between 2023 and 2033. As demand for data-driven solutions increases across industries, events like KDSCON25 inspire students to continuously upgrade their skills preparing for a future of data-driven innovation.
“Our mission is to develop Kansas’s capacity for data innovation by giving students hands-on experience with real-world challenges. By connecting students with community and industry partners, we advance education and drive meaningful solutions that strengthen our communities.” Michael Branicky, Co-Director KDSC
Representing Avila University’s first participation in the event, from the university’s campus near the Kansas-Missouri state line, Shawn C. Smith, Director of Graduate Technology Programs; and Elizabeth (Libby) Kleve, a new Avila Adjunct Professor; and five graduate students pursuing their Master of Science in Technology Management degrees: Sravanthi Pennam, Monika Lama, Durga Khatri, Yaman Thakuri, Ujjawal Bhandari, were in attendance.
Throughout the conference, the Avila team participated in high-demand workshops, including a Geographic Information Systems (ArcGIS) session led by Xanthippe Wedel, Senior Research Data Engineer at The University of Kansas. They attended keynote presentations by leaders such as Dr. Donna Ginther, Roy A. Roberts & Regents Distinguished Professor of Economics, and engaged in industry panel discussions featuring Christopher Wyant (TEC Systems Group), Erin Waldron (Data Dozen), Matt Friesen (MKCoop), and Ryan Vandament (Hill’s Pet Nutrition). The team also explored student research from across Kansas during poster sessions.
For Avila’s students, this first-time participation offered continual exposure to the latest trends, and further ideas into how to present their research succinctly to both technical and public audiences.
“What an amazing experience we had attending the Data Science Conference at the University of Kansas! … A special highlight was the session led by Xanthippe Wedel on Geographical Information Systems (ArcGIS) – we even had the chance to create our own maps using her techniques! It was such a fun and hands-on experience.” Sravanthi Pennam, Master of Science Technology Management – Computer Science
Interactive poster sessions further reinforced skills, allowing students to view and vote on projects in the People’s Choice category, sparking ideas for their own future showcases.
“Grateful for an incredible day of learning and growth at the Kansas Data Science Conference…I also enjoyed exploring the creative projects during the poster sessions. … Feeling inspired and motivated to keep growing in the field of data analytics.” -Yaman Thakuri, Master of Science, Technology Management – Business Analytics
The Consortium continues to grow its mission, with new curriculum partnerships underway at Baker University, Butler Community College, Johnson County Community College, and Donnelly College, aiming to embed real-world data science projects into classroom learning.
Avila University’s inaugural participation at KDSCON25 marks an exciting step.
“At Avila University, we believe in preparing lifelong learners who make meaningful contributions to communities. This event gave our Master of Science in Technology Management students the opportunity to move beyond the classroom, and apply their leadership and networking skills. Students were also able to explore new technologies to address real-world challenges, deepening their understanding of data available to them while being introduced to innovative ways to present research and analytics. We are grateful to the consortium for the opportunity to attend and look forward to further opportunities to participate and engage in this conversation.” – Shawn Smith, Director of Graduate Technology Programs.
Next year’s event is planned for May 2, 2026 at Kansas State University. To learn more about the Kansas Data Science Consortium go to https://data.ku.edu/kdsc.