By Fatima Salinas 

More than 40 students participated in the second annual Hawkeye Datathon hosted by the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, which is housed in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. 

The event, which is sponsored by Aegon TransAmerica, was held on Nov. 17, 2024. The datathon was the culmination of the department’s series of bootcamps on data analysis programming, business communication, and observational data analysis. 

Sanvesh Srivastava, director of undergraduate studies and associate professor said students benefit immensely by applying the theoretical knowledge and science data tools they have learned in the classroom to solve real-world problems.  

“Students have the opportunity to utilize their skills in statistics, machine learning, and data science, honed during their undergraduate studies,” Srivastava said. “We further enhance their preparation through a series of targeted bootcamps, designed to provide additional support and guidance for tackling these challenges. Overall, this experience is a critical step in equipping them with the practical training needed to become successful data scientists.” 

Hawkeye Datathon is open to all University of Iowa students. Srivastava said most participants this year were students from biostatistics, computer science, and statistics. 

Connor Curtis, a fourth-year student, majoring in data science, participated in the datathon last year and this year after hearing about the event from Srivastava. 

“I loved the opportunity to showcase and grow my data science skills in a competitive setting,” Curtis said. 

The Hawkeye Datathon was organized in two phases. Phase one included workshop events in python programming and data analysis, which introduced tools for analyzing complex, real-world data using Python and R. Additionally, alumni working in the data science industry shared their experiences with current students.  

Students also had sessions with industry experts that focused on addressing questions they might have regarding observational data and business communication. 

The second phase was a competition where students applied what they learned in the workshops.  The challenge focused on forecasting first-year student enrollment amidst evolving trends in higher education. Key factors included demographic shifts, economic uncertainty, and post-COVID enrollment patterns.  

The competition began at midnight on Nov. 8, 2024, with participants submitting a one-page report by 8a.m. the next day. Final presentations, each lasting 15 minutes, were later that morning.  

At the end of this event, winners were chosen for best presentation, best data visualization, raffle winner, and the Hawkeye Datathon Champion—which Curtis’s team won. 

“The presentation component of data science is my favorite part,” Curtis said. “I like practicing communicating technical information to an audience while highlighting both strengths and weaknesses of a solution.” 

For more information on the annual Hawkeye Datathon, visit the event’s website.