Data Challenge: University of Maryland iSchool

Events

Date: February 24, 2018
Location: College Park, MD

In the coming weeks, the University of Maryland College of Information Studies (UMD iSchool) will host Data Challenge: a week-long event providing an opportunity for students to solve a challenging problem by using innovative and critical thinking paired with other aspects of their skill sets.

  • The challenge is open to undergraduate, graduate, and Ph.D. students currently enrolled at the University of Maryland.
  • Teams will choose a dataset from the available datasets described on the “Data Challenge” website and use that dataset to solve and information problem based on that dataset.
  • The iSchool will host a Team Building Event where participants meet and network with other participants with similar ideas who are looking to join a team.
  • Registration for the challenge runs until February 20, 2018.
  • The Challenge Kickoff will be held on February 24, 2018 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
  • The Challenge Finale will be held March 3, 2018 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.
  • Participants may compete as individuals or as teams up to four for this challenge.

Optimal has a partnership with the iSchool and will serve as a mentor for the Data Challenge. Optimal is providing analytical data-sets for the contestants to utilize in their efforts. The data-sets include small business data, Montgomery County Mental Health Services mapping data and data from Optimal’s international early education project with USAID:  www.usaideducationdata.org. Optimal will be in attendance of the challenge to foster innovation, teamwork, social science expertise and big data thinking.