M.S. Applied Data Science - Capstone Chronicles 2025

Dear Reader,

It is our great pleasure to welcome you to the 2025 edition of Capstone Chronicles , our second annual publication showcasing exemplary projects from the MS in Applied Data Science program at the University of San Diego. This volume reflects not only another year of exceptional student achievement but also the continued evolution of a program dedicated to preparing data science professionals for meaningful, responsible, and impactful work. The University of San Diego’s online Master of Science in Applied Data Science is committed to training current and future leaders in this important and transformative field. Our program places strong emphasis on real-world applications, ethical responsibility, and the pursuit of social good in the design and deployment of data science and AI-enabled systems. Developed by data science experts in close collaboration with key industry and government stakeholders, the Applied Data Science curriculum provides rigorous technical preparation and in-depth, practical training. Each graduating cohort represented in this edition—Spring, Summer, and Fall 2025—includes approximately 25-30 students. In the Applied Data Science Capstone course, students synthesize the knowledge and skills acquired throughout this master’s program, and this project serves as a culminating experience for students, enabling them to apply their theoretical knowledge to a research-driven, code-intensive original project. Students lead an end-to-end data science workflow, including data acquisition, processing, and analysis, while deploying appropriate analytical techniques. The project is documented in an academic journal-style article and presented in a recorded technical presentation. We hope the Capstone Chronicles serve as both an inspiration and a resource for future students, researchers, and practitioners in data science. By sharing these exemplary projects, we aim to celebrate our amazing students' accomplishments and their contributions to the broader discourse on applied data science. We extend our sincere appreciation to the students whose hard work and dedication fill these pages, as well as to the faculty mentors who guide them, and the industry partners who help ensure our curriculum remains relevant and forward-looking.

Thank you for joining us in celebrating the achievements of our 2025 graduates. We hope this edition of Capstone Chronicles inspires current and future students, collaborators, and leaders in data science.​

Sincerely, The 2025 Capstone Chronicles Editorial Team

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Anna Marbut, Ebrahim Tarshizi, & Erin Cooke

This letter was composed with the assistance of OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

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