Bayer, NJIT and Stevens collaborate to educate, engage and inspire next generation of data science talent

Whippany-based Bayer on Monday said it formed a new strategic collaboration with New Jersey’s leading polytechnic universities to create unique learning opportunities for students in the field of data science as a way to educate, engage and inspire the next generation of data science talent in New Jersey.

Bayer, together with Newark-based New Jersey Institute of Technology and Hoboken-based Stevens institute of Technology, announced a partnership that will cultivate data science talent in the region.

Bayer, through its Consumer Health North America division, said a growing and aging world population and the increasing strain on nature’s ecosystems are among the major challenges facing humanity today. As one of the world’s leading life sciences companies, Bayer plays a key role in devising solutions to tackle these challenges in line with its vision, “Health for all, Hunger for none.”

Through this partnership with Bayer, Stevens and NJIT data science students will gain experience in areas such as data preparation, data modeling, enterprise level forecasting and precision marketing. Bayer is proud to be investing in future talent in New Jersey, which is also home to Bayer’s U.S. headquarters.

The Consumer Health division provides products and services that empower consumers to take charge of their personal health. From treating common ailments to supporting everyday nutrition, Bayer is constantly innovating to find new ways to help people live healthier lives.

“Data is core to informing how we market our products to our consumers and evolve with their changing needs — from developing the right messaging to price point to launch timing. As we continue our digital transformation at Bayer, we expect to engage data science talent to build solutions that leverage our unique data assets. Both NJIT and Stevens generate excellent talent that is critical to our future success in this space,” Manik Gupta, chief analytics and insights officer, Bayer Consumer Health North America, said. “At Bayer, we come to work every day because we believe in our purpose, ‘Science for a Better Life.’ We are confident that students at these two institutions will find our vision and purpose compelling.”

As part of Phase One of this new collaboration, the Consumer Health North America division will offer students from NJIT and Stevens multiple avenues to engage with the company, including capstone projects, co-ops, summer internships and sponsored research & development projects. Bayer employees will also provide interview preparation and training as well as showcase the Consumer Health vertical.

“We are delighted to embark on this forward-looking partnership with Bayer Consumer Health, in collaboration with our colleagues at Stevens Institute of Technology,” Craig Gotsman, dean of Ying Wu College of Computing at NJIT, said. “The College of Computing has an extensive corporate network, which provides our students with many opportunities, and we are keen to expose them to as many companies as possible. Graduating more than 1,000 computing professionals every year, we are a significant contributor to the regional tech talent pipeline. With a significant life sciences partner such as Bayer, we look forward to focusing on data science activities and talent in that space, leveraging our new department of Data Science and research Institute for Data Science.”

“Stevens Institute of Technology has a long tradition of preparing the workforces of tomorrow through student research, experiential education and capstone projects — particularly in data science,” Gregory Townsend, Stevens’ senior director of corporate, government and community relations, said. “Stevens’ research enterprise is focused on producing results that benefit society, which includes initiatives that support consumer health and well-being. Our data science research, in particular, leverages our expertise in artificial intelligence, machine learning, systems engineering and more. We’re very pleased to begin this enhanced relationship with Bayer Consumer Health and our collaborators at NJIT.”