University of Houston- Programs
The PEAR trainee model is not one-size-fits-all, it packages different PEAR components for different training programs: master’s degrees, doctorates, and graduate certificates. Different pathways have been created for students coming from social sciences, business, engineering, and computer science.
Graduate Certificate
The oil/gas industry is undergoing significant change- repositioning operations to be cost-competitive and meeting the growing energy demands sustainably while responding to the paradigm shift to limit carbon emissions and curb climate change. This requires working in smarter, more efficient ways while understanding user behavior and the future of regulation. Many companies are already implementing platform-based data science solutions and realizing tangible benefits. The University of Hampton is creating a new interdisciplinary graduate certificate program called “Big Data and Energy Supply Chain” which can be taken with a degree or as a stand-alone credential.
Two courses from our NRT program, plus two additional electives from the PEAR elective list. Attending community seminars is a requirement.
Research Traineeship Program
Collaboration between the University of Houston, Hampton University, and Northeastern University.
Trainees will likely enroll in either the Modeling and Algorithms or the Environmental, Energy, and Sustainability tracks. To learn more about the training tracks, click here.
Curriculum
Master’s and doctoral stipend- and non-stipend-supported NRT trainees are required to complete three NRT core courses listed below. Each of the NRT core courses will be offered once per year in a small class-size setting to provide a better learning experience for NRT trainees. NU Certificate candidates are required to complete four NRT core courses listed below.
Fall Semester:
Students with a background in engineering and computer science will choose a course in a non-engineering or computer science field.
Examples include:
Big Data for Cities
Economic Institutions and Analysis
Work, employment, and Inequality
Information Ethics”, and “AI Ethics
Students with a background in social sciences and business choose a course in a non-social science or business field.
New graduate engineering courses will be developed in the fundamentals of knowledge engineering,
including an introduction to data analytics, algorithms, and platform architecture.
Spring Semester:
Course 2 is a required interdisciplinary common core course taught by two PEAR faculty. Northeastern University, University of Houston, and Hampton University students who are obtaining the certificate will attend this in-person class at the Northeastern campus. The class will consist of a semester-long project consisting of three reports, completed in interdisciplinary teams. Students will also be trained in value-sensitive design (VSD). VSD is a skill-oriented approach to teaching ethical reflectivity in technology design.
Fall and Spring Semester of Year 2:
During the second year of the program, students will choose a course from a set of PEAR electives from one of the following training tracks: Modeling and Algorithms; Economic and Policy Analysis; Product Management, and Platform-Based Business Model Innovations. Click here to learn more about the tracks.
Seminars:
Community seminar series is hosted at each partner site on a rotating basis and broadcast on Zoom to the broader PEAR community. Speakers will include industry partners and government leaders. Topics include the design of digital platforms, policy considerations, privacy issues, as well as professional development including mentoring skillsets, resume, and cover letter writing workshops.