RADIANT Research, AI, Data Innovation, and New Technologies
Are you fascinated by AI, data science, and machine learning?
This 10-day hands-on program is your chance to explore these cutting-edge fields, guided by top Notre Dame faculty and researchers. Whether you're new to coding or already have some experience, you'll dive into R programming, data visualization, and analytics, learning how to transform raw data into powerful insights. Work on exciting real-world projects like tracking misinformation, analyzing climate change data, or even building machine learning models. You'll collaborate with like-minded students, gaining hands-on experience that will set you apart in college applications and future careers.
In the second week, you’ll take your skills further with AI, GIS (Geographic Information Systems), and machine learning. Train simple AI models, explore how technology impacts society, and learn how AI tools are shaping the future. Through interactive workshops, ethical discussions, and a final capstone project, you’ll apply your knowledge to solve a real-world challenge and present your findings. This program is more than just a learning experience—it’s a chance to develop real skills, work on meaningful projects, and take the first step into the fast-growing world of AI and data science.
Academic Directors
Sugana Chawla
Sugana Chawla is an Associate Professor of the Practice and the Education Programs Director at the Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society at the University of Notre Dame. In her role of Education Programs Director, she leads the iTREDS minor, the RADIANT summer program, the #GOALS evaluation project with the Ascension Foundation, and other educational programs that promote data literacy and interdisciplinary research. Sugana collaborates closely with faculty, students, and community partners to create meaningful learning experiences that connect STEM education with real-world applications.
Before joining Notre Dame, Sugana lived in Maryland, where she earned a Master of Arts in Education, building expertise in curriculum design, instructional leadership, and student engagement. She also holds a BS in Environmental Science and Policy from the University of South Florida, reflecting her long-standing commitment to STEM and policy-driven problem-solving. Passionate about inspiring curiosity, critical thinking, and a love for discovery, Sugana applies her STEM background and education training to support academic excellence, innovative research, and community impact.
Valentina Kuskova
Valentina (Valya) Kuskova is Professor of the Practice and Associate Director at the Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society at the University of Notre Dame. She holds a Ph.D. in Decision Sciences and master’s degrees in applied statistics and business. Her research focuses on advanced quantitative methods - spanning traditional statistics, network analytics, advanced time-series analysis, text mining, and AI-driven techniques (including NLP and large language models) - to measure complex behaviors, decision-making, and structural efficiency in social and corporate contexts. Grounded in psychometrics, her work develops robust frameworks for forecasting, measurement, and AI-based decision support, bridging theoretical innovation with practical applications in diverse environments and with a broad range of social problems. She is also passionate about teaching. In the past, she led the creation and implementation of two master’s programs focused on applied statistics and advanced analytics, addressing the growing demand for data-driven decision-making. At Notre Dame, she is the instructor for the new “Responsible and Ethical AI” course in partnership with National Education Equity Lab and is a co-PI or a co-Director of several educational programs at the Lucy Family Institute.