Ramapo College of New Jersey formally opened its new Center for Data, Mathematical and Computational Sciences on April 27.

“The opening of a space for the DMC is a signal of the commitment of Ramapo College to underscore the value of quantitative and digital literacy skills as part of a strong foundation for a lifetime of achievement,” said Amanda Beecher, associate professor of mathematics and director of the Master of Science in Applied Mathematics program. “It is also a commitment of the programs, faculty, and students to create a tech community around this space to further our shared goals and objectives between these interrelated disciplines that might not be possible alone.”

In addition to its comprehensive undergraduate curriculum in mathematics and computer sciences, the College is launching a Master of Science in Applied Mathematics and a Master of Computer Science in the fall. The shared content between these two programs and the existing Master of Science in Data Science has led to the development of an interdisciplinary trio of technology-related graduate programs that are collectively referred to as MDMC.

Each of the above-mentioned programs will be offered through the College’s School of Theoretical and Applied Science.

“Students in each graduate program enroll in common courses together, strengthening the collaboration between the disciplines even further,” said Scott Frees, professor of computer science and director of both the master’s in data science and computer science. “The technical core we are building at Ramapo reinforces the view that a school dedicated to the Liberal Arts is a place for students to develop the soft skills along with the technical skills needed to succeed in the modern economy.”

According to the announcement, one of the goals of the Center is to engage with industry partners, providing fieldwork experiences for students that help organizations solve real-world problems that are confronting the industry.

“Our collaborations with our community partners, particularly our advisory board members, have been integral for our students to understand the landscape and the challenges they will face entering the workforce. This ensures we properly prepare our students to meet those challenges,” Beecher said. “Our partners have served direct roles in teaching students as adjunct faculty, speakers in our lecture series, and guest presenters in class. They have also provided experiential learning opportunities through internships, co-ops, fieldwork, and employment. We are thankful for the time and energy that our partners commit to the success of our students.”