Welcome to MUIDSI
Chi-Ren Shyu, Ph.D.
Director of Institute for Data Science and Informatics, Graduate School
Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Strategic Initiatives, College of Engineering
Welcome to the University of Missouri Institute for Data Science & Informatics (MUIDSI).
MUIDSI is an interdisciplinary hub for research and graduate education, offering a PhD in Informatics and an MS in Data Science & Analytics. Our 65 core faculty lead cutting-edge research across bioinformatics, biomedical and health informatics, and geospatial informatics, while mentoring 144 graduate students (44 PhD and 100 MS) in a highly collaborative environment. Supported by extramural funding, industry partnerships, and team science initiatives, our faculty drive innovation that translates data into discovery and real-world impact.
Our research spans domains from molecules to populations, enabling strong collaborations with campus partners such as MU NextGen Precision Health, Thompson Center for Autism & Neurodevelopment, Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, and the Interdisciplinary Plant Group. These partnerships provide a rich ecosystem where faculty-led research directly engages students in high-impact, interdisciplinary projects. MUIDSI continues to advance emerging frontiers such as next generation AI, where intelligent systems autonomously reason, plan, and act across complex workflows, transforming how research is conducted and applied. A defining strength of our ecosystem is the Mizzou Quantum Innovation Center. As one of the few academic partners in the IBM Quantum Innovation Center program in the United States, we offer a unique integration of AI, data science, and quantum computing across both our Data Science and Informatics programs. Our focus on the “road to utilities” emphasizes practical applications in geospatial AI and life sciences, where hybrid quantum-classical approaches are advancing solutions in national security, public health, drug discovery, omics, and biological system modeling.
MUIDSI brings together faculty-driven research excellence, interdisciplinary collaboration, and emerging technologies to prepare the next generation of scientists and innovators to lead data-driven and AI-enabled discovery.
Our MS in Data Science and Analytics (DSA) program offers state-of-the-art Big Data Analytics training for working professionals and residential students for career advancement to secure data scientist positions in various sectors.
Our current emphasis areas include Geospatial Analytics, Biohealth Analytics, Data Journalism/Strategic Communication, High-Performance Computing, and Human-Centered Data Design. The online MS DSA program received the 2018 University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) Central Region Outstanding Credit Program Award and ranked #9 on Fortune’s Best Online Master’s in Data Science Programs in 2022.
If you are a prospective student, please feel free to contact me and our leadership/administrative team for more information on the application process.
We are always looking for top-notch students to join our fantastic faculty’s labs and centers. If you are seeking tenure-track faculty positions with MUIDSI and partnering academic units, we have a strong track record mentoring junior faculty with NSF CAREER program and NIH K awards through our interdisciplinary research network. It is my honor to work with such talented faculty, students, alumni, and staff, as well as all the outstanding people associated with and supporting MUIDSI. No bias – informatics and data science rule!
