Ready to turn data into discovery? The Hawkeye Datathon brings students together for a fast-paced competition with problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration—ending with the chance to showcase your work and compete for honors.

Read the 2024 recap

Important dates and sign-up information

Information for the next datathon will be posted at a later date.

Learn more about our past events

2024 series

The Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science at the University of Iowa is excited to announce its second annual Hawkeye Datathon! Sponsored by Aegon Transamerica, this event marks the culmination of our series of bootcamps on data analytics programming, business communication, and observational data analysis. 

All University of Iowa students are eligible to participate in the Datathon, provided they agree to the Statement of Privacy that is included on the registration form.

Important: **Registration is required** to participate in the Datathon. 

1. Submission Requirements: Your final solution, due by 8:00 AM on Sunday, November 17, must include:

   - Code to reproduce your results; and

   - A one-page report summarizing your analytical approach and conclusions.

Please send the email to sanvesh-srivastava@uiowa.edu with the subject line. "Fall 2024 Datathon solution and report"

2. Presentation: Teams will present their results in SH 140 on November 17, starting at 9:30 AM. Each team will have 15 minutes, including time for Q&A.

Awards:

We will recognize outstanding efforts in the following categories:

1. Hawkeye Datathon Champion

2. Best Presentation

3. Best Data Visualization

Winners will receive a certificate and Amazon gift cards.

Friday, November 8, 2024

The Hawkeye Datathon problem statement and training data for answering the problem will be released November 8, 2024. 

Students who register for the Datathon will be able to view these files through a registration confirmation page that will appear after they've submitted the registration form. Registered students may also request the problem statement and training data by contacting sanvesh-srivastava@uiowa.edu.

Participants will have approximately one week to solve the problem and prepare their presentations.  

Students should submit their code and a one-page report as two separate files before 8:00 a.m., Sunday November 17, 2024. 

Submissions should be sent to: sanvesh-srivastava@uiowa.edu.

Sunday, November 17, 2024

  • Submissions close Sunday, November 17, 2024 at 8:00 a.m.

The Hawkeye Datathon concludes with participant presentations, followed by prize distribution.

Read the recap

2023 series

I. Data Wrangling bootcamp — Python pandas 

  • Taught by Dr. Ruitao Liu

  • Sep 11, 18, and 25. (Monday) 5:30-8pm

This bootcamp will teach you fundamental knowledge, principles, and essential skills for manipulating messy data through hundreds of mini-tasks. 

 The outline of the course is as follows: 

  1. Basic Python for data science.
  2. Overview of Python NumPy package.
  3. Data manipulation with Python Pandas package
    1. Data set quality check (error/outlier detection, missing value imputation)
    2. Exploratory analysis through summary statistics.
    3. Data fusion (combining different data files and transferring them into suitable formats)
    4. Feature engineering (generating new features/variables to enhance model accuracy)

II. Design/analysis bootcamp 

  • Taught by Dr. Duncan Leaf, USC Schaeffer Center

  • Oct 3, 10  and 17. (Tuesday) 5:30-8pm

Outline for design/analysis bootcamp

Week 1: Understanding a data-generating process

Week 2: Complex survey sample design and analysis

Week 3: Bias and causal inference

III. Business Communication bootcamp 

  • Taught by Paul Hampton, Transamerica

  • Oct 24 and 31. (Tuesday) 5:30-8pm 

  1. Teaching: Engaging with Business Stakeholders
    1. Asking business Questions
    2. Identifying strategic drivers; what is the business solving for?
    3. Breaking down issues/concerns/needs into component parts
    4. Uncovering the underlying data/analytics questions
    5. Defining benefits
    6. Writing requirements
  2. Case Study: Part 1
    1. Read persona problem statements (CEO, Head of Operations, Sales Manager, etc.)
    2. Information gathering, opportunity to ask questions
    3. Present back:

                                                               i.      Business issue

                                                             ii.      Searchable problem

                                                           iii.      Basic requirements

  1. Teaching:  Presenting Findings
    1. Understand your audience
    2. Presenting data
    3. Frame outcome/recommendation/etc.
    4. Building a presentation
  2. Case Study: Part 2

Read the recap

Questions?

Sanvesh Srivastava

Sanvesh Srivastava

Associate Professor
Director of Undergraduate Studies, Data Science and Statistics
sanvesh-srivastava@uiowa.edu