Data Sciences in Humanities and Arts : College of Humanities & Fine Arts : UMass Amherst

At the intersection of the Humanities, the Arts, and Data Sciences, HFA departments are expanding opportunities for student research that bridges STEM and the Humanities and Arts. Interested in data visualization? AI and machine learning? Text mining? Network analysis? Geographical Information Systems (GIS?) If so, you might want to explore possibilities at the intersection of the arts and humanities, and data sciences.

Computational Humanities Initiative: The Computational Humanities Initiative co-led by faculty in Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences, Music and Dance, and Linguistics, fosters new interdisciplinary research and education across our colleges planning a Certificate in Data Science and the Humanities, building on the development of the Computational Linguistics major, which is on track to be launched in Fall of 2024.
Data and Arts Programs: The Department of Art provides hands-on experience in graphic design, digital fabrication, animation, data visualization, creative computing and gaming through the Interdisciplinary BFA in Art and Design and certificate program in Design and Creative Technologies. History Department Professor Asheesh Siddique offers a course on the history of data itself, asking “How has it been created, used, and stored in human history? What forms have humans invented in order to circulate and share it with others? And what values have societies invested in data?”
International Science, Technology, and Engineering Programs (iSTEP): Do you want to study abroad but are concerned about completing the requirements for your STEM major? Do you want an internship in Germany in a STEM field? Do you want to be a more desirable candidate for jobs and graduate studies programs with your degree? Do you want to become fluent in a foreign language while having a blast living in Europe? If the answer is yes to any of these questions, then consider a double major (BA) or dual degree (BS/ BA) in German and a STEM field with iSTEP!
Poggio Civitate Archaeological Field School: The Poggio Civitate Archaeological Field School provides UMass Amherst undergraduates an unparalleled opportunity to work on and contribute to an archaeological excavation in Tuscany, Italy. Because of a new partnership with Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences, students can now also gain skills in archaeological data science and programming.
The Pompeii Artistic Landscape Project: The Pompeii Artistic Landscape Project (PALP) is an online resource to encourage sitewide discovery, mapping, analysis, and sharing of information about Pompeian artworks in their architectural contexts. The goal of PALP is to dramatically increase the number of researchers and members of the public who can access, analyze, interpret, and share the artworks of the most richly documented urban environment of the Roman world: Pompeii. PALP is a collaborative initiative between Eric Poehler at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Sebastian Heath at the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World at New York University. Based on data from the Pompeii Bibliography and Mapping Project and built in open source tools, PALP is generously funded through a grant from the Getty Foundation, as part of its Digital Art History initiative.
Public Interest Technology (PIT) Initiative: HFA has an ongoing partnership with the Public Interest Technology (PIT) Initiative, which focuses on the development and realization of socially responsible solutions to the challenges of a technology-driven world. It serves as a critical foundation for 21st century education, for people who create technologies, and for those who work with them, which is all of us.