
Data Science for the Public Good Virtual Symposium 2020
We hope you will join us for our annual Data Science for the Public Good Symposium on August 7! The Symposium is a signature event of the DSPG Forum, established by the University of Virginia Biocomplexity Institute. The Forum brings together a community of scientists, scholars, researchers, and policy-makers hoping to gain insight on using data science to positively transform the areas in which we live, work, and play.
At the annual Symposium, Data Science for the Public Good Young Scholars present their research findings from the 11-week summer program. This year, the Symposium features a nationally-recognized keynote speaker, and more than 60 students from DSPG Young Scholars Programs at five universities across three U.S. states and in Istanbul, Turkey.
We have planned an engaging and thought-provoking afternoon that provides opportunities to sit back and listen, or if you choose, interact with our keynote speaker in the plenary session and young scholars during research poster sessions.
Instructions for navigating your way to "zoom rooms" for the poster sessions will be shared with registered attendees on the day of the symposium.
Please note that all times are in Eastern Time Zone and you will want to plan your afternoon accordingly.
Symposium Agenda
Plenary Session
1 p.m. Welcome and Keynote
2 p.m. Young Scholars Program: Overview and Highlights
2:15 p.m. Break
Poster Sessions
2:30-4:30 p.m. Young Scholars Present Research Projects
Symposium Program
Plenary Session
The Symposium opens with a plenary session, which is followed by poster sessions with this year’s Data Science for the Public Good Young Scholars. You are welcome to join us for a portion or all of the Symposium. We do hope you stay for all of it!
1 p.m. Welcome and Keynote
Sallie Keller will open the Symposium and deliver the welcome address.
Sallie is the Director of the Social and Decision Analytics Division at the University of Virginia’s Biocomplexity Institute; a Distinguished Professor in Biocomplexity, and Professor of Public Health Sciences, UVA School of Medicine.
See bio for more details.
Kenneth Prewitt is this year’s keynote speaker and we’re excited to hear more about this topic: The 2020 Census – End of the Line?
Ken is a former Director of the U.S. Census Bureau and Carnegie Professor of Public Affairs at Columbia University.
See bio for more details.
Abstract: The 2020 census is at the end of the line because, by 2030, the Bureau will be in the data curation business. Developments in data linkage, administrative data, and commercial/social media data are pressing forward. There are issues – privacy/confidentiality prominent among them – but resolvable. The result? The next census will be less visible but more important than any of its predecessors.
2 p.m. DSPG Young Scholars Program: Overview and Highlights
This year, more than 60 undergraduate and graduate students from five partner universities were involved virtually with postdoctoral fellows and faculty mentors in summer research projects that addressed critical social issues relevant in the world today.
In addition, the Young Scholars program expanded globally this year to Istanbul, Turkey where students gained practical research experience and skills to provide them with more career opportunities.
DSPG Young Scholars program leaders will share highlights from their programs.

Matt Holt
Professor and Department Head
Department of Agricultural
and Applied Economics
Virginia Tech

Poster Sessions
We hope you will join one or more of the 35 poster sessions taking place between 2:30 pm and 4:30pm. You will hear from student interns and fellows about their impactful research that they conducted as part of DSPG Young Scholars programs in Virginia, Iowa, Oregon, and Istanbul, Turkey.
Find out more about these exciting research projects on the poster session page!
Partners and Sponsors
Find out more details about our Symposium Partners and Sponsors.