University News

WIU to Host DataFest 2022 Competition April 8-10

March 30, 2022

Share |
Printer friendly version

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL — The Western Illinois University School of Accounting, Finance Economics, and Decision Sciences (AFED) is scheduled to host their first virtual DataFest 2022 competition April 8-10.

To be compliant with COVID-19 guidelines, the virtual event will allow bachelor's and master's students from any school the opportunity to compete. Competitors will form small teams of two-five students and work together to analyze real-world datasets.

DataFest is a nationally coordinated program through the American Statistical Association (ASA) that challenges students to work collaboratively, without the support of faculty, to find their own data stories from this year's data donor. This competition builds critical thinking, communication, and technical skills that students can apply to their future careers.

The competition will begin at 5 p.m. Friday, April 8 (CST). Teams will work collaboratively to discover insights in large real-world datasets that are rich with information. Following the competition, teams will present their findings to a panel of judges via Zoom, beginning at 1 p.m. (CST) Sunday, April 10.

"This is an excellent hands-on learning opportunity to win prizes, meet others with similar interests and learn a lot about data science and analytics," said Jessica Lin, Interim Director for the School of AFED.

To register teams, visit wiu.edu/cbt/afed/datafest. All teams must register by midnight Sunday, April 3, so information regarding this year's data can be further provided.

For more information about the School of AFED, visit wiu.edu/afed. For questions about DataFest, contact Dr. Lin at JL-Lin@wiu.edu.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing