The University of Virginia’s School of Data Science ushers in a new era this month with the opening of its home at Charlottesville’s Emmet-Ivy Corridor.

A portion of the historic $120 million gift from the Quantitative Foundation, the private family foundation of Jaffray and Merrill Woodriff, for the establishment of the School of Data Science in 2019 made the building possible.

The new home of the School of Data Science is situated at the east entrance of the Emmet-Ivy corridor, a UVA expansion project that will also include a building for the Karsh Institute of Democracy, a hotel, a conference center, as well as a proposed performing and visual arts center.

The building and its design will help further advance the vision of University President Jim Ryan; Phil Bourne, founding dean of the School of Data Science; and Jaffray Woodriff to create a school that is a leader in the transformative field of data science.

“This beautiful and unique new space gives students, faculty, and staff a home base for research and teaching that intersects with schools and disciplines across Grounds and beyond,” said Ryan. “It’s exciting to see Dean Bourne’s vision for a ‘school without walls’ brought to life on the Emmet-Ivy Corridor, thanks to the generosity of Jaffray Woodriff and the Quantitative Foundation. This is a historic moment for UVA as we open the doors to our 12th school, and I’m grateful to all those who have made it possible.”

Bourne noted that the new building reflects the values that the School of Data Science has promoted since its founding.

“Data science now has an identifiable and beautiful home at UVA — a home that exemplifies our culture of excellence, openness, transparency, interdisciplinarity and community engagement” said Bourne. “It’s an honor to open the Emmet-Ivy Corridor as the first academic building.”

Jaffray Woodriff, a 1991 graduate of UVA, noted his excitement about the role the School of Data Science was poised to play in the years ahead as artificial intelligence expands its reach.

“As an early data science champion, I’ve been thrilled to see my alma mater create a school and now a home for the study of data science,” he said. “I am eager to cheer on the University of Virginia’s contributions to the safe and ethical navigation of the murky waters ahead in artificial intelligence.”

Additionally, a $2 million gift from Capital One will anchor the two-story central hub in the new building, which will host presentations and events and serve as a gathering place for students, faculty, and other leaders in the data science community to come together, share ideas and discoveries, and learn from each other.

“Capital One has a longstanding relationship with UVA and the School of Data Science to foster innovation and the next generation of technology leaders. With the opening of the new School of Data Science building, including the Capital One Hub, we are thrilled to deepen our partnership to further discovery, share knowledge, and make a positive impact on society through collaborative, open, and responsible data science research and education,” said Prem Natarajan, chief scientist and head of enterprise artificial intelligence at Capital One, who recently joined the School of Data Science advisory board.

Opening celebrations for the new building are scheduled for April 26 and will include a digital ribbon-cutting ceremony and community event.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is scheduled to deliver remarks, as are Ryan; Bourne; Jaffray Woodriff; Robert Hardie, rector of UVA’s Board of Visitors; Natarajan; and Navya Annapareddy, a doctoral student at the School of Data Science.

Faculty and staff will officially move in after the close of the academic year.

Building history and design

Design of the building began in January 2020 with the architectural teams of Hopkins Architects, VMDO, and the University’s Office of the Architect in collaboration with UVA Facilities Management. Construction was led by the Gilbane Building Company, and groundbreaking occurred in October 2021.

The four-story, 61,000-square-foot facility for the School of Data Science embodies the core principles that also underlie the school’s mission and purpose, with a design aimed at promoting openness and collaboration.

The building includes open hallways, a large atrium, monumental stairs, four adaptive classrooms, as well as research and meeting areas.

The facility includes a wellness space, a lactation space, and is the only building on Grounds with all non-gendered restrooms.

Sustainability was another key emphasis. As a LEED Gold-certified green building — nearly the highest certification possible — the school’s new home features solar panels; daylighting strategies, such as operable vents and windows in individual offices; and active and passive shading systems to limit the need for artificial lighting.

The building also includes a data sculpture, designed by SoSo Limited and built by Hypersonic, which will be viewable from the street and every floor. The sculpture is interactive, with visitors able to engage directly with preloaded data sets to tell a range of data stories. It will hang from a skylight at the epicenter of the building’s core.

Celebrating data science

In conjunction with the opening of its new home, the School of Data Science also launched two initiatives aimed at celebrating the power of data and the story of data science at UVA.

The Data is ART competition was an open call to artists to submit works from all mediums and formats around the theme of “Our World.” The eight finalists include submissions from students, a UVA alum, and a University professor, with four different nationalities represented.

Winning submissions will be announced at an awards ceremony on May 8, which will feature a virtual presentation by internationally renowned media artist Refik Anadol. The winning artists’ work will be displayed in the new building.

Additionally, the School of Data Science will publish a digital exhibition, called The Story of Us, which chronicles the history of efforts to promote data science as an academic discipline at UVA, culminating in the creation of the School of Data Science and the opening of the new building. The project includes a written and audio narrative, video interviews, as well as archival documents and photos.

“Not surprisingly we have gathered all our historical data to date to tell The Story of Us. It’s a story that is just beginning and one that has a long and bright future,” said Bourne.

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