Documenting and evaluating Data Science contributions in academic promotion in Departments of Statistics and Biostatistics

The dynamic intersection of the emerging field of Data Science with the established academic communities of Statistics and Biostatistics continues to generate lively debate, often with the two fields playing the role of an upstart (but brilliant), tech-savvy prodigy and an established (but brilliant), curmudgeonly expert, respectively. Like any new discipline, Data Science brings new perspectives and new tools to address new questions requiring new perspectives on traditionally established concepts. In this paper, we explore a specific component of this discussion, namely the documentation and evaluation of Data Science-related research, teaching, and service contributions for faculty members seeking promotion and tenure within traditional departments of statistics and Biostatistics.