Vikas (’23 Ph.D.) and Anuradha Sinha are on a mission to change lives. 

Over the past few years, their visionary support for the UNT College of Information has changed the landscape of data science and positioned the University of North Texas as a leader in the field. The Sinha Data Science Innovation Lab is the latest addition to what the Sinha family has made possible at UNT — a state-of-the-art lab built at the nexus of information, people and technology, with a focus on preparing professionals, producing research and building community partnerships. 

“For us, this lab is really about possibility,” says Vikas Sinha. “When Anu and I first came to the United States as international students, we did not come from wealth or privilege. What changed our lives was access: access to education, mentors, technology and opportunity. We want this lab to become that kind of doorway for students.”

The Sinha Data Science Innovation Lab is part of the Vikas and Anuradha Sinha Department of Data Science, housed within the UNT College of Information and established through an initial gift of over $3 million in 2024 that also created endowments to support student scholarships, professorships, research and special initiatives. 

Vikas Sinha completed his Ph.D. in information science with a concentration in data science in 2023 — the culmination of a years-long search for a program that worked with his schedule as a working professional. 

“When I completed my Ph.D. at UNT, I saw firsthand the potential of the students and faculty,” Sinha says. “There is tremendous talent, energy and vision. What excited us was the opportunity to help accelerate that momentum.”

And they have done exactly that — simultaneously creating a deeply emotional and incredibly fulfilling experience for their family.

“Watching the program grow has been inspiring because data science is no longer a niche discipline. It is becoming foundational to nearly every field,” Sinha says. “What makes me especially proud is that UNT is building this program with accessibility and inclusion in mind. Many students are working professionals, first-generation college students or people reinventing themselves through education. That reflects our own life story in many ways.”

The Sinha family’s hope for the lab is that it provides an environment where students are not just learning theory, but actually solving meaningful real-world problems using artificial intelligence, analytics, cybersecurity, machine learning, visualization and emerging technologies.

“I also hope it gives students confidence,” Sinha says. “Sometimes, students — especially first-generation students — underestimate themselves. We want them walking into that lab feeling like they belong in innovation conversations at the highest levels of industry and research.”

Regarding research, UNT College of Information Dean Kinshuk says the lab is expanding opportunities and removing barriers that have long constrained faculty and their collaborators across disciplines. 

“Now, our faculty can run large-scale deep learning experiments, process massive real-world datasets, and build and test AI models that serve researchers across UNT's colleges and provide students excellent experiential learning opportunities,” Kinshuk says. “That independence translates into acceleration of the entire research cycle.”

The Sinha Data Science Innovation Lab serves as a vital step forward for the UNT College of Information.

“The Anuradha and Vikas Sinha Department of Data Science was built on the premise that data science and data-driven AI are the engines powering discoveries across every field of human inquiry,” says Junhua Ding, chair of the data science department. “To deliver on that premise, state-of-the-art infrastructure is needed that matches our ambition.”

The Sinha Data Science Innovation Lab provides exactly that through high-performance computing, high-speed storage and specialized hardware such as indoor autonomous vehicles, health informatics equipment, augmented and virtual reality gear and other sophisticated equipment for advancements in emerging research frontiers.

Another goal for the lab is to strengthen the connection between academia and industry, as North Texas is one of the fastest-growing technology and business corridors in the country, with deep concentrations of companies in healthcare, finance, logistics, defense contracting and advanced manufacturing — all sectors being fundamentally reshaped by data-driven AI. 

“The future belongs to students who can combine deep technical foundations with practical problem-solving and human-centered thinking,” Sinha says. 

The Sinha family’s continued generosity and commitment to the enhancement of UNT’s data science program is rooted in their strong belief that education is one of the most powerful forces for changing lives. 

“Sometimes the greatest gift education gives you is not just knowledge — it is belief in yourself,” Sinha says. “And once a student gains that confidence, the impact extends across generations, families change, communities change and futures change.”