SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., April 6–Domino Data Lab, the enterprise data science platform trusted by over 20% of the Fortune 100, has written and illustrated a free, wildly-engaging, yet educational children’s book, along with an at-home activity sheet, and a classroom “Daily Do” lesson plan,  created by the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA), to spark excitement for careers in data science among elementary school students during April’s Math Awareness Month.

Students who complete and return the activity sheet can enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win a $5,000 529 (tax-advantaged higher education savings plan) contribution, and a brand-new Chromebook computer. 

“Data science is an exciting interdisciplinary STEM discipline, but one that can be a challenge to explain to students as they learn about other fields,” said NSTA President Elizabeth Allan.  “We are excited to collaborate with Domino Data Lab to ensure that even our youngest learners are exposed to this rapidly developing field.”

Domino Data Lab co-founder and CEO Nick Elprin said, “Data science is now one of the most in-demand professions with the potential to solve some of the world’s toughest problems. But there’s an enormous shortage of data scientists. Like many of the parents who work at Domino, I shared this book with my own young children and it immediately captured their imaginations. By exposing children to this field early on, we can help ensure that we’re able to meet the challenges of the future head-on.”

Florence the Data Scientist and Her Magical Bookmobile centers around Beatrice, a young girl who loves reading, science, dragons and swings. When a mysterious bookmobile drives down her street, Beatrice is intrigued to find the driver, Florence, knows exactly what books will delight each kid in the neighborhood. But how? Beatrice spends the day recording and analyzing each of her friends’ responses to Florence’s questions, discovering (and falling in love with) the magical predictive power of data science.

Florence the Data Scientist and Her Magical Bookmobile, was authored by Ryan Kelly, a Domino marketing executive, with the assistance of practicing data scientists at Domino. Kelly dreamed up the idea as a project for a company hack-a-thon, a multi-day event where employees break up in teams to solve a problem.

“I had only started a few weeks before the hack-a-thon and I was really struggling to effectively and concisely communicate what data science was,” Kelly said.  “I thought if I couldn’t explain it to my family and friends, how on earth could I explain it to my daughter?  And how many actual data scientists have the same problem with their kids?  What do they say on career day?”

For parents, to download the ebook and activity sheet and enter the sweepstakes, please visit: dominodatalab.com/mathawareness

For K-5 educators, to download the ebook and classroom resource, please visit: https://nsta.org/domino-data-lab

About Domino Data Lab
Domino Data Lab is the Enterprise MLOps platform that over 20% of the Fortune 100 chooses to unleash data science teams and the IT organizations that support them. Model-driven companies including Allstate, Dell Technologies, and Bayer use Domino to accelerate model velocity for breakthrough research, increase collaboration, and rapidly deliver high-impact models. Domino is backed by Sequoia Capital, Coatue, Bloomberg Beta, Dell Technologies Capital, Highland Capital Partners, and Zetta Venture Partners.

For more information, visit dominodatalab.com.

About the National Science Teaching Association
Founded in 1944, the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) is the largest organization in the world dedicated to promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all. A vibrant community of 40,000 science educators and professionals, NSTA is committed to best practices in teaching science and its impact on student learning. NSTA offers high quality science resources and continuous learning so that science educators grow professionally and excel in their career. For new and experienced teachers alike, the NSTA community offers the opportunity to network with like-minded peers at the national level, connect with mentors and leading researches, and learn from the best in the field. 

For more information, visit nsta.org.

Contacts:
Michael Diamond, Domino Data Lab
michael.diamond@aircoverpr.com

Megan Boles, Domino Data Lab  megan.boles@aircoverpr.com

Kate Falk, NSTA
kfalk@nsta.org