Purdue unveils plans for data science building

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind (Inside INdiana Business) — Purdue University has announced plans to build a $40 million facility dedicated to data science. The university says the 86,000-square-foot facility is needed to meet its goal to be a national and global leader in the field of data science research and education.

The four-story building will feature classroom and teaching space, as well as a collaborative workspace for the College of Science graduate researchers and faculty.

“Data science is the new language of life, cutting across all disciplines and fields of research, and so it’s crucial that our students are prepared for this future,” said Patrick Wolfe, dean of the College of Science.

Purdue says it is projected that 1 trillion sensing devices worldwide will be connected to the internet within the next 10 years.

This combination of sensors, rapid data transmission and low-cost storage and the commoditization of on-demand computing has ushered in a revolution in data science.

“By bringing together Purdue’s research strengths in mathematics, statistics and computer science within an innovative building design, we will further cement our leadership in a critical STEM area and fulfill our commitment to make Purdue the first school for which data science is a part of every student’s education, no matter their field of study,” said Wolfe.

Purdue’s Board of Trustees is expected to vote Friday to advance the project. If approved construction would begin in November2020 with completion in June of 2022.