News & Events

Please join us for the Data Driven Discovery Initiative’s 2024 Summer Hangouts program! Undergrads, grad students, and postdocs are all invited to participate in informal, hands-on tutorials led by our team of experienced DDDI postdoctoral research fellows. These tutorials are open to students from all backgrounds and skill levels, covering a wide range of data science topics including machine learning and generative AI for scientific discovery. The series will kick off with a faculty talk from Prof. Lyle Unger, and close with a special guest tutorial from MindCORE Associate Director Russell Ritchie.

Hangouts will be held twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon – 1pm, June 11th to June 25th, in the RDDSX space in Van Pelt-Dietrich Library. A pizza lunch will be provided. We will also have a live-stream (links below) of the session for those who cannot attend in person.

Tuesday sessions live-stream link here.

Thursday sessions live-stream link here.

Please see here for more details – and be sure to RSVP!

Join us for the second Penn Data Scientists Meetup! This event aims to bring together practitioners of data science, engineering, and visualization from across the University. There are many staff members across Penn who work in isolated clusters on these topics, and we are looking to foster collaboration between Penn’s various schools.

Please share this announcement with staff members who are involved in data science-adjacent activities, particularly those in roles such as Research Software Engineer, Systems Architect, or Data Scientist.

Event Details

Date: Wednesday, May 29th
Time: 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Location: Glandt Forum (Singh Center for Nanotechnology)
Hosts: The Data Driven Discovery Initiative (DDDI), Institute for Biomedical Informatics (IBI) and Innovation in Data Engineering and Science (IDEAS)

Key topics include

• High-performance computing
• Data visualization
• Causal inference
• Machine Learning
• Generative AI

Agenda

2:00 – 2:05 – Introductory remarks
2:05 – 2:20 – 3-minute/3-slide lightning talks
2:20 – 3:00 – Moderated panel discussion
3:00 – 3:30 – Refreshments and casual discussion

Lightning talks are recommended for new attendees interested in introducing themselves to the group or previous attendees interested in sharing something new they are working on. The panel discussion will center on the theme of generative AI in data science and evolving career paths.

We kindly request attendees to RSVP by May 20th May 22nd (deadline extended!) using this form.

The DDDI Postdoctoral Fellows program is expanding! In response to the rapid evolution of the AI landscape and the increasing importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, we are launching a unified postdoctoral fellows program that spans the sciences and AI. The program aims to seamlessly integrate the strengths of the Center for Innovation in Data Engineering and Science (IDEAS) and the Data Driven Discovery Initiative (DDDI) into a single home for data science postdoctoral fellows in SEAS and SAS.

See the announcement for more details.

Cultures of Datafication in & across South Asia
Registration required

Event Organizer: Kim Fernandes; Zehra Hashmi; Sandeep Mertia; and Rahul Mukherjee (University of Pennsylvania) and Ranjit Singh (Data & Society)
Date: 4/12-13/24
Location: Day 1 – Fisher Bennet Hall #401; Day 2 – CASI, 133 S 36th St, #230

This event aims to bring together interdisciplinary researchers and practitioners to discuss historical and emergent trajectories of data-driven knowledge production in South Asia. In doing so, participants will examine how under-explored social relations in South Asia shape data-driven technologies and vice versa. The workshop will also explore the past, present, and/or future of datafication across South Asia as it relates to three broad themes: identity, governance, and energy.

Date: March 26, 2024

Time: 6:00pm – 7:00pm

Location: Terrace Room, Cohen Hall

The Data Driven Discovery Initiative (DDDI), in collaboration with Penn Arts & Sciences College Alumni Mentoring Series (CAMS), is excited to host a career mentorship panel event highlighting careers in data science. Students will have an opportunity to hear from and connect with a diverse group of professionals working in a variety of data-driven careers. The panelists – listed below – will share their professional experiences over provided dinner. An opportunity for Q&A will follow the moderated discussion.

Registration is required to attend this event.

Panelists:

Eric Edell C’99 W08 (moderator)
Co-Founder and Co-Managing Partner at 22C Capital

Randy Winn
Co-Founder and Co-Managing Partner, 22C Capital

Melissa Honour
Chief Product Officer at Aster Insights

Tara Thiagarajan, Ph.D.
Founder and Chief Scientist at Sapien Labs

Christian Smith
President, Service Lines and Solutions at LMI

Applications for the DDDI Postdoctoral Fellowship are now open for the 2024/2025 cycle. 

The DDDI Postdoctoral Fellowship is an opportunity open to all postdocs in the School of Arts & Sciences who use data science as a significant part of their research methodology. We encourage postdocs across the natural and social sciences to apply.

Accepted applicants will join a group of data-driven postdoctoral fellows who regularly meet together as well as with faculty and visitors to discuss their research and exchange ideas. Fellows will receive a research stipend (up to $5,000 total) for one year to support their research efforts.

The application deadline is April 8th April 26th, 2024. To learn more about the DDDI postdoctoral fellowship and for information on how to apply, please see here.

Join the AI Literacy Interest Group at Penn Libraries for its second session!

The AI Literacy Interest Group will be hosting its second session on Tuesday, February 27. Join us to engage in insightful discussions about non-Western perspectives of AI and technology, and to foster a nuanced and informed understanding on topics like gender, labor, multilingualism, globalization, and environmentalism with AI as the focal point. Connect with a vibrant community of mindful practitioners, stay up to date on the latest AI news, and explore responsible use-cases in the real world.

Student Debate & Showcase on Gender and Technology

Date: February 27, 2024
Time: 9:45 am – 2:00 pm
Location: Class of 1978 Orrery Pavilion, Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center (Sixth Floor)

The second session will delve into the relationship between AI, gender, multilingualism, and the environment in a day filled with stimulating talks and debates exploring the diverse facets of AI’s impact. Attendees will also have an opportunity to view a curated set of historical collections and rare book manuscripts from the Kislak Center for Special Collections, followed by fun activities and socializing.

See the Penn Libraries event page for more information.

Image Credit: Hazem Asif (@worldofhazem)

DDDI honors Penn graduate students Shriya Ramakrishnan, Manvi Kaul, Emma Jin, and Zahra Khodakarami with the Generative AI for Social Good Award for their hackathon project CEPASSISTANT, a personal AI interpreter to assist the estimated 17 million people living with cerebral palsy. CEPASSISTANT utilizes audio-to-text and predictive text modules to lower the barrier for those affected by cerebral palsy to communicate with caretakers and others around them. (Award details below.)

The student-led hackathon, organized by Rose Wang (Wharton class of 2025), was held February 16th-17th in Tangen Hall and provided students across Penn’s ecosystem with the opportunity to learn, build, and create Gen AI based applications. Teams from a variety of disciplines were in attendance and there was a particularly strong showing of entries in the DDDI social impact award category. DDDI would like to thank each of the teams who participated in this award category for their thoughtful and innovative contributions to making a positive impact on the world with generative AI.

DDDI’s Generative AI for Social Good Award

$500 donation to charity sponsored by the Data Driven Discovery Initiative

The Generative AI for Social Good Award honors the Generative AI Hackathon project that demonstrates the greatest potential to contribute to the public good. This award aims to encourage participants to leverage the power of generative AI to address societal challenges and improve the well-being of communities on a local, national, or global scale.

Criteria

Societal Impact

Projects must focus on addressing a societal challenge that has a broad impact on the well-being of a large number of people. Potential areas of impact include, but are not limited to, health, public safety, justice, clean air and water, education, employment, transit, and political representation.

Innovative Use of Generative AI

Submissions should showcase the development or innovative use of generative AI methods. This could involve working with large datasets, employing modern analytical/statistical methods, or requiring computationally intensive processes. The use of generative AI should be central to the project’s approach and potential impact.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Collaborations between generative AI experts and domain specialists in the chosen societal challenge area are especially encouraged.

Geographic Scope

Projects focusing on Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley are highly encouraged, but submissions addressing national and global issues are also welcomed. The award aims to support initiatives with a wide-ranging societal impact, irrespective of geographic boundaries.

Ethical Considerations

Projects must adhere to ethical guidelines in the use of generative AI, ensuring that the technology is employed responsibly and with respect for privacy, fairness, and transparency.

Feasibility and Scalability

Submissions should outline a clear plan for the implementation and scalability of the proposed solution, demonstrating the potential for real-world impact beyond the hackathon setting.

The Generative AI for Social Good Award aims to inspire participants to think creatively, collaborate effectively, and harness the potential of generative AI to address pressing societal challenges. The winning project will embody innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a commitment to making a positive difference in the world.

Award

Endowment of the award entails a $500 donation to a charity of the winning project’s choosing.
The charity must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in good standing, formed for a charitable, scientific, literary, or educational purpose, with a mission that broadly aligns with the goals of this award as judged by the Data Driven Discovery Initiative’s leadership team.

Join the AI Literacy Interest Group at Penn Libraries!

Engage in insightful discussions about the critical considerations surrounding AI and technology, while gaining a nuanced and informed understanding of the vast possibilities and social implications these tools bring. Connect with a vibrant community of mindful practitioners, stay updated on the latest AI news, and explore responsible use-cases in the real world.

Inaugural Panel & Showcase on Multidisciplinarity

Date: February 13, 2024
Time: 9:30 am – 2:00 pm
Location: Class of 1978 Orrery Pavilion, Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center (Sixth Floor)

Join for a day of interdisciplinary exploration featuring expert speakers, discussions, curated documents from the Kislak Center, and hands-on projects.

Student Debate & Showcase on Gender and Technology

Date: February 27, 2024
Time: 9:45 am – 2:00 pm
Location: Class of 1978 Orrery Pavilion, Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center (Sixth Floor)

Delve into the relationship between AI, gender, multilingualism, and the environment in a day filled with stimulating sessions exploring the diverse facets of AI’s impact.

See the Penn Libraries event page for more information.

Photo credit can be found here.

Sign up for Penn’s first Gen AI Hackathon!

The Penn Generative AI Hackathon is a university-wide two day event (2/16-17) in Tangen Hall for students across Penn’s ecosystem to learn, build, and create Gen AI based applications. Sponsored by today’s leading Gen AI companies and backers, join Penn’s top builders in competing across six categories for over $5,000 in prizes.

No AI or hackathon experience is required.

Apply at https://penngenai.xyz by February 9, 2024 to get involved.