Psychology alumnus John Dolan ‘92 is challenging the misconception that psychology is merely a “soft science” by showcasing its integral role in data science. Through the Excellence in Data Science Scholarship, he supports initiatives that highlight how psychology contributes to solving complex, data-driven challenges in today’s world.
With his degree in psychology, Dolan has spent years working with major tech companies at the forefront of data-driven industries, including Google. He has seen firsthand an explosion of data in the business world and questions of how to monetize it. He sees a growing need for individuals who could blend psychological knowledge with data analytics.
“I think we can better arm our students that are not going for the classic psychology PhD and instead put them in the workforce and connect them into business,” said Dolan. “The opportunity is vast. Whether it be in healthcare, CPG, marketing companies, insurance companies, everyone has this data.”
In Psychology’s Board of Visitors meetings, psychology’s value in the business world is a recurring theme. These conversations sparked Dolan’s idea to establish the data science scholarship for the new Master’s of Data Science in Human Behavior. He sees its potential to equip students with the necessary skills to thrive in today’s data-driven business world.
Dolan recalls frustrations shared by large companies with whom he’s worked, noting that they don’t have data scientists who are skilled in understanding human behavior. He believes this gap is where psychology and data science intersect. Bridging human behavior patterns is crucial for real-world business challenges. The master’s program aims to prepare psychology master’s students for this workforce, equipping them with skills that are highly valuable to industries that are increasingly relying on data-driven insights to understand human behavior.
The Excellence in Data Science Scholarship aims to aid high-achieving students from around the world in pursuing data science education.
For scholarship recipient Peixuan Xu, the program offers her great opportunities. She is learning large-dataset coding and applying her skills to real-world situations. She has a strong interest in conducting better psychology research through improving her data science knowledge. It motivated her to join this master’s program.
“I believe through this program, I can gain more professional guidance in how to design better research and make clearer predictions with the datasets,” said Xu. “In this way, I hope to contribute to psychology and help more people with my research.”
The scholarship reflects Dolan’s broader commitment to preparing students for success beyond traditional academic paths. Its initiatives endorse leveraging psychology degrees in business.
“This scholarship is beneficial because it’s an affirmation that psychology is a science-based degree,” said Dolan. “It’s rooted in the analysis of data to prove hypotheses, drive outcomes, and it puts psychology front and center.”