Christopher Brooks appointed academic director of Master of Applied Data Science program

University of Michigan School of Information associate professor Christopher Brooks has been named the new academic director of the University of Michigan School of Information’s online Master of Applied Data Science (MADS) program. 

His term will begin on August 1, 2025, succeeding associate professor Kevyn Collins-Thompson whose three-year term “provided outstanding leadership during a time of innovation and change,” says UMSI dean Andrea Forte. 

A longtime member of the MADS teaching community, Brooks brings extensive experience to his new role. He has taught multiple courses in the program and served on the school’s online programs committee since its early days. His appointment comes at a pivotal moment, as MADS launches skills-based admissions and expands its curriculum into emerging areas of data science. 

Since starting at UMSI as a postdoc 2013, Brooks has published numerous research articles in the areas of educational technologies and human-computer interaction. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Saskatchewan. 

Launched in 2019, the Master of Applied Data Science is a full-fledged University of Michigan master’s degree conducted entirely online. Courses are taught by core University of Michigan School of Information faculty. MADS is a flexible professional degree program for people who want to apply rigorous data science in their jobs or chart new courses by launching careers in data science.

“Our MADS students are a diverse, talented and driven community of learners,” Brooks says. “Teaching in this program since its launch six years ago has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. I’m excited to collaborate with students, alumni, faculty and staff to deepen and expand what we offer. From enhancing our curriculum and launching new co-curricular opportunities, to strengthening alumni engagement and delivering a world-class learning experience, the future of MADS is bright.” 

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Check out more information about Christopher Brooks by visiting his UMSI faculty profile.