From tomorrow's weather forecast to astrophysics, data science is everywhere. So it comes as no surprise that despite being a new field, the need for professionals in data science has grown tremendously in the past decade. As our society becomes increasingly more data-driven, the gap between the demand for data scientists and the number of students pursuing the field is becoming more and more pronounced. Why is the growing need for data scientists not accompanied by an equal amount of growth in the number of data science students? How can learning statistics change your outlook on life? What is the value in being data-literate, even if you're not planning on pursuing a degree in data science? 

Our guest in this episode offers his thoughts on all these questions. Radu Craiu, Professor and Chair of the Department of Statistical Sciences at University of Toronto, joins us on Behind the Curves as we discuss the importance of early exposure to statistics, the value of probabilistic thinking in our everyday lives and the need for a change in high-school curriculums as the world around us changes as well. 

Websites mentioned in this episode:

Harvard Data Science Review, Prof. Craiu's Personal Site