Mahmoud Harding
Special guest
Mahmoud Harding is the Instructional Design Director for Data Science 4 Everyone, where he helps schools integrate meaningful data literacy and data science experiences into K–12 classrooms. A former math and data science teacher at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, he draws on years of classroom practice plus an industry background as a systems analyst and programmer to bridge computing, statistics, and pedagogy for real students. Mahmoud holds degrees in mathematics and applied mathematics, along with a graduate certificate and a master’s in statistics from NC State, and now focuses on designing learning experiences that make data, computation, and ethical responsibility accessible to every learner.
Mahmoud Harding has been a guest on 1 episode.
-
Episode 160: Data Science, Math and Python, Oh My!
July 16th, 2026 | 1 hr 8 secs
In this episode, Kelly Schuster-Paredes talks with Mahmoud Harding about data science education and how he approaches teaching Python, R, and statistics. Mahmoud explains his role at Data Science for Everyone and discusses the ADAPT model, with a focus on project-based learning, student curiosity, and getting learners working with their own data early.
The conversation compares R and Python as data science tools, with Mahmoud outlining how each language developed and how libraries like NumPy and pandas helped Python grow in the field. He also describes Jupyter Everywhere, a browser-based notebook environment meant to reduce setup barriers for schools and make it easier for students to use R or Python.
Later, they discuss the importance of judgment, domain knowledge, and nuance when interpreting data, and Kelly suggests that books and history can also be treated as data for classroom analysis. The episode ends with Mahmoud sharing how to connect with him and mentioning an upcoming Data Science Education K–12 event in Atlanta in February.