This year the CSU Chico Data Science Initiative will be hosting an ASA DataFest. This will be the first year Chico State has participated.
ASA DataFest is a data hackathon for undergraduate students, sponsored by the American Statistical Association and founded at UCLA, in 2011. A data analysis problem is presented in the form of a dataset and an associated challenge. Teams of students get a dataset on Friday afternoon and work on the problem until Sunday afternoon where they present their findings. After two days of intense data wrangling, analysis, and presentation design, each team is allowed a few minutes and no more than two slides to impress a panel of judges. Prizes are given for Best in Show, Best Visualization, and Best Use of External Data.
Undergraduates from all majors are welcome. Some of the most diverse teams have been the most successful.
A key feature of ASA DataFest is that it brings together the data science community. Undergraduate students do the work, but they are assisted by roving consultants who are graduate students, faculty, and industry professionals.
Learn more about this national event at the event website
