I believe what makes my project so unique is that there is always more to explore. Every answer to a question leads to ten more questions. I have already spent a lot of time exploring the field of sports analytics. I’ve taken summer classes, done honors projects, worked in my free time, and kept up with the growing field through articles and videos. I have learned R and Python to help me clean, explore, manipulate, and visualize datasets.

Regarding my essential question, which explores how mathematical modeling and statistical analysis can serve as a framework for better understanding the world around us, I know that these tools already impact our everyday life. Companies use it in marketing and pricing and the government uses it to draft legislation (well, at least one party does). I find the entire field of statistics and data science to be incredible. The idea that humans have the ability to quantitatively make good decisions, describe the environment we are in, and act in an optimal fashion is incredible.

Interestingly, there is a debate about whether statistics should be considered a branch of mathematics or not. Some argue that it should be because it requires mathematical operations. However, I am of the belief that it should be its own branch. Math deals in absolutes whereas statistics can make way for gray areas based on the statistician, what methods they use, what they consider important, and other factors.

To be completely honest, I could dedicate my entire life to the pursuit of answers to my essential questions and never find one answer. There are infinitely many ways data analysis and mathematical modeling can improve our understanding of the world. Through this project, I just hope to have the opportunity to explore some of these ways and get a better feel for the new age of data in our society.