British mathematician and entrepreneur Clive Humby is credited with saying, “Data is the new oil.” The metaphor works because both data and oil are valuable resources and—in order to be useful—must go through a series of processes, including excavation, refinement and distillation. Data without analysis is just a useless collection of facts or numbers. Analysis is where the magic happens.

More and more, companies are seeking to hire trained analysts who can use data to identify trends. When done well, this output can help a company become more innovative, efficient and in-touch with their customers. 

Along with teaching computer science courses, CBU Associate Professor Dr. Serge Salan coordinates the university’s Master of Science in Data Science program, which prepares students to succeed in this in-demand field.

“This is a fairly new program designed for students from all different backgrounds—engineering, science and business predominately,” said Dr. Salan. “Students learn how to take data and use it to improve our lives. For example, a librarian wants to organize e-books, but there are hundreds of thousands of documents. A data scientist could write a program to automate the process.”  

CBU is one of the only schools of its size to offer a master’s degree in data science. The university’s strengths in engineering, computer science and mathematics make data science a natural addition to the available curriculum. The competencies learned can be applied in any field, so graduates may wind up establishing careers in the corporate sector, healthcare, education, public service—really anywhere! 

Creating opportunities for students is a primary reason Dr. Salan enjoys leading the data science program. Twenty years ago, he and his younger brother, Teddy, left their home country of Lebanon for an opportunity to pursue college and graduate school in the United States. 

Memphis was the destination, and the brothers shared an apartment while Teddy earned undergraduate degrees in computer science and electrical engineering from CBU and Serge completed a doctorate in computer science from another local university.

Both brothers continued to advance academically and chose to remain in academia for their careers. Prior to joining the CBU faculty in 2015, Dr. Serge Salan was a Visiting Assistant Professor at Washington and Lee University (Lexington, Va.). Dr. Teddy Salan has been a Research Assistant Professor in the Radiology Department of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine since 2023.

Dr. Serge Salan was drawn to work at CBU based on the positive experiences his brother (and two cousins, as well) had as an undergrad. Living Lasallian came naturally, as Dr. Salan had attended Lasallian schools as a child in Lebanon and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from a Jesuit college in Beirut. 

“I guess the biggest thing is the sense of community I felt at CBU which is nothing like other universities,” said Dr. Salan. “It’s really special. You feel like you know everyone and you share the same values. Everyone is looking out for each other.” 

The unique focus Lasallian schools have on student wellbeing has been one of Dr. Salan’s favorite things about teaching at CBU, along with the mutual respect he has found among faculty.

“For every decision we make in the department, we ask, ‘What’s best for the students,’” he said. “We want this decision to make sense, but it only makes sense if it helps students graduate in time or take the right classes. We are really student-focused in our decision making, and I feel like everybody’s voice is heard. I don’t feel like decisions come from above. Everybody is participating in every decision in the department.”

Associate Professor Dr. Alexander Happ said of his colleague in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, “Dr. Salan is incredibly important to our department, and specifically the computer science program.” 

“He teaches the bulk of our computer science courses and maintains a good rapport with the students,” Dr. Happ added. “He clearly cares for the students. We have worked together on many workshops for high school and incoming students where it became clear how passionate he is about making computer science accessible and relatable to the students.”

As a former international student, Dr. Salan also appreciates the diverse student body at CBU that reflects people and cultures from all over the world.

“There is an immediate connection,” he said. “When I work with an international student, I think, ‘I’ve been there. Maybe I can help them.’” 

“International students enrich our campus in a variety of ways,” he added. “People who come from different backgrounds have different strengths and weaknesses. That enriches our experience as teachers by challenging us. And the students are enriched. In part, international students come to the U.S. to be part of a diverse community. They are enriched academically and fundamentally by having to adapt to a new situation.”

Dr. Salan’s office is in the Cooper-Wilson Center.