UTSA School of Data Science to transition into new research center

Students engage in a collaborative session with Anthony Rios at San Pedro I, home to UTSA’s Center for Data Science.

AUGUST 1, 2025 — As the University of Texas at San Antonio prepares to launch its new College of AI, Cyber and Computing this fall, changes also are coming to the School of Data Science.

A planned new UTSA Center for Data Science is set to continue building on the school’s legacy, with the official transition taking effect on Sept. 1.

The UTSA Deans Research Council formally approved the center in June 2025 as an organized research unit in the College.

With more than 50 affiliated faculty from seven UTSA colleges, the Center for Data Science will be well-positioned to build on the school’s successes and encourage further cutting-edge research and data science education, said Anthony Rios, the center’s founding director and an associate professor of information systems and cybersecurity.

Rios will also serve as a faculty member in the new College of AI, Cyber and Computing.

“Everyone should have some data science training, and if we can help provide that in the correct settings, that can be highly valuable.”

— Anthony Rios

“Our goal is to continue the multi-disciplinary curation of expertise in data science and data science applications across the college and university,” Rios said. “Specifically, our overarching themes of enhancing data science-related research, education and outreach will stay the same.”

The center is expected to facilitate research and education across disciplines, departments and colleges by providing shared infrastructure, leadership and support for grant development and faculty collaboration.

This goal aligns with the three roles Rios envisions the center playing in the new college, including engaging in cutting-edge multidisciplinary data science research, consulting on data science needs within UTSA and beyond, and providing top-notch experiential learning opportunities for UTSA students.

Examples of existing projects that further these goals include:

• The UTSA Draper Data Science Business Plan Competition
• The UTSA Headache Cure Board, sponsored by the cybersecurity firm FEDITC
• Los Datos annual data science research conference

The center will continue to support student-led programming such as its hackathon and datathon events, and foster outreach between local schools and community colleges. Rios also plans to prioritize data science and statistical consultations within UT San Antonio and the community, such as the current SDS/UTSA Athletics partnership.

In support of these initiatives, the center’s leadership is exploring ways to expand its capacity for data management and computing, including long-term goals like establishing a dedicated consulting arm to support internal and external partners.

“The scale for the center will be much smaller than the SDS originally,” he said. “However, the identity and brand of the SDS is something we want to continue; we just need to be very targeted in how we do it to ensure sustainability.”

After the Center for Data Science launches this fall, Rios said the first order of business will be generating research grant proposals and working on expanding collaboration and consultation opportunities. He hopes the center will become an established and sustainable name in the data science community within a few years.

Community is a major aspect of the previous school and that will continue, Rios said.

“As part of our efforts, I want to give back to the community in ways that provide experiences to our students and help our community partners … Everyone should have some data science training, and if we can help provide that in the correct settings, that can be highly valuable.”

— Christopher Reichert