University of San Diego MS-ADS Faculty

The online Master of Science in Applied Data Science (MS-ADS) is taught by experienced professionals and instructors with extensive backgrounds in data science, ranging from working with Fortune 500 companies to co-founding startups and specializing in key areas that are making a real impact today.

Their combination of technical expertise and real-world insight ensures that every lecture, discussion and project is grounded in practical, responsible innovation.

Ebrahim K. Tarshizi, PhD, MBA — Academic Director

Dr. Tarshizi oversees two online graduate programs at USD: the Master of Science in Applied Data Science and the Master of Science in Applied Artificial Intelligence. He also serves as co-director of the Center for Digital Civil Society within USD’s Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering.

He brings experience as a senior technical adviser with the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (CDC NIOSH) and as a visiting scholar at the San Diego Supercomputer Center. His research focuses on AI ethics, text and web mining and data-driven occupational safety.

Expertise That Speaks For Itself

Real-World Experience

Our professors and instructors come from a wide range of data science backgrounds and have held leadership roles or worked with organizations such as the CDC, Wild Genomics, Thermo Fisher Scientific, eBay, LinkedIn, Microsoft, GoodRx, BMW, GoPro, Amazon and Lark Technologies.

Cross-Disciplinary Insight

Data science impacts nearly every industry, and our faculty’s experience reflects that. Their experience spans technology, engineering, business, marketing, education sports, military defense, healthcare and more.

Committed to Continuing Education & Professional Development

Many of our instructors actively engage in professional organizations, events and programs, and they bring that passion for growth into the classroom. With small cohorts, weekly office hours and personalized feedback, our faculty foster supportive learning that continues well beyond graduation.

Wide-Ranging Faculty Interests

Our faculty bring a wide range of specializations to the classroom, helping students explore and refine their interests in data science. Their focus areas include data ethics, natural language processing, visualization, practical applications of data science, anomaly detection, deep learning and many more.