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title: "Welcome to DataFest 2026!"
format: html
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!["The Unicorns" presenting their analysis during ASA DataFest 2025](images\IMG_0019_crop.JPG)

Welcome to the official website of the annual **ASA DataFest** at Northwestern University! The event is hosted by the Department of Statistics and Data Science in collaborating with the ASA (American Statistical Association)

DataFest is an **international competition** organized by the American Statistical Association and hosted at universities across the world. Students are provided with a **large dataset** inspired by a **real-world challenge** and attempt to use their skills in data visualization, exploratory data analysis, and machine learning to propose a solution within 48 hours (over a weekend).

Students, operating in teams of 2-5, benefit from working alongside graduate students, professors, and industry professionals as expert mentors. 

## Event details

**Date:** Friday, April 24 at 5 pm - Sunday, April 26 at 7:30 pm

**Venue:** 

* 24 Apr 2026: [Lutkin Hall (Evanaton)](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Northwestern+University+-+Lutkin+Hall/@42.0510135,-87.6828199,16z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x880fd00b0c8664ef:0x1e4620e720a5313d!8m2!3d42.0510095!4d-87.680245!16s%2Fg%2F1yh5tgyb0?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDkxNy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D) / UChicago location

University of Chicago students are welcome to join us at Lutkin Hall at Northwestern University. However, they may also join the event at UChicago (location to be announced).

* 25 Apr 2026: [Guild lounge (Evanston)](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Scott+Hall/@42.0515594,-87.6801948,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x880fd074ca661347:0xb3d0721c09135496!8m2!3d42.0515594!4d-87.6776199!16s%2Fg%2F1tdwfjbm?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTIxMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D) / UChicago location

University of Chicago students are welcome to join us at Guild lounge at Northwestern University. However, they may also join the event at UChicago (location to be announced).

* 26 Apr 2026: [Norris Louis Room (Evanston)](https://www.google.com/maps?newwindow=1&sca_esv=e13d45d6070d9fea&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS971US971&output=search&q=norris+northwestern&source=lnms&fbs=AEQNm0Aa4sjWe7Rqy32pFwRj0UkWd8nbOJfsBGGB5IQQO6L3JxdWbs3CkcdlHyEbrNaWhousA6g1P-W7aLn7k_lr4XDtWs7W5tBNejPwIJwUJ16r3jzyqWhg1a39ls4ML3z8pj-Ufp_krMxaJJ4-Mn3vRNfm_coqdrdQ024V3JNK6dad_yTSycrdX1pp0iJH4mG2gyqg_RuszK4V-HMOSu1vGet8w8jt3Q&entry=mc&ved=1t:200715&ictx=111)

All competitors will need to be at the venue in-person. 

**Sign-up:** Please sign up on the [Sign Up](https://nustat.github.io/2026-datafest/signup.html) page.

**Participants:** All UG students of **Northwestern University** and **University of Chicago** are invited to participate, while graduate students from both universities are invited to mentor student teams. We are also inviting volunteers from each university to help us organize and run the event.

Students will be provided with a dataset and an open-ended goal on Friday evening. By Sunday afternoon, they will have to develop and present solutions to a panel of judges comprised of faculty and industry professionals. There will be prizes for first, second, and third place, and a people's choice award. Teams will be evaluated on the quality of their recommendations, soundness of analysis, clarity of presentation, data visualization, use of external data, and overall creativity. Graduate students and industry professionals will be mentoring student teams as they develop their solution.

The event also includes a keynote speech from a leading industry expert, and a panel discussion on *Careers in data science* comprising of both faculty and industry professionals.

## Why participate in DataFest?

* ASA DataFest is a great opportunity to **gain experience** that employers are looking for. Having worked on a data analysis problem at this scale will certainly help make student a good candidate for any position that **involves analysis and critical thinking**, and will provide a concrete example to **demonstrate experience during interviews**.

* Students will get the opportunity to **interact with data scientists** from industry and academia, to get some insights about a data science career.

* Students can **apply classroom skills** to real-world problems, **gaining hands-on experience** that accelerates their growth as data scientists.

* Students will **build connections** and be a part of a strong peer data science community

* Lastly, students will **enjoy** a dynamic, inspiring, and truly unforgettable weekend

## ASA DataFest 2025

Northwestern University hosted its first ever DataFest in April 2025. Check out the [gallery](https://nustat.github.io/2025-datafest/pictures.html).

Over 60 universities around the world hosted the ASA DataFest in 2025. Checkout the list of universities [here](https://ww2.amstat.org/education/datafest/participants.cfm))

## Previous ASA DataFests

Although Northwestern started having the ASA DataFest since 2025, several top universities all over the world have been collaborating with ASA to host DataFests since 2011. Here is the link to the problem statements of the [previous DataFests](https://ww2.amstat.org/education/datafest/previous.cfm).

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