Data Scientist Development Programme
LIDA’s early-career data scientist capacity-building programme employed 11 data scientists to work on 20 different multidisciplinary projects for the public good in 2023-24.
The projects
Data Science for Public Good
The programme continues to further its mission of data science for public good through proof-of-concept projects returning real-world impact, including this year:
- a framework for exploring alternative data sources to replace the International Passenger Survey;
- helping to set priorities and metrics for the Oxfordshire Food Strategy;
- a method for classification of AirBNB hosts and properties to assist with post-pandemic hospitality recovery strategies in the UK;
- a model to anticipate wildfire spread, improve preparedness, and identify where and when to deploy resources for fire mitigation/ management.
A 2023 Enhancing Research Culture grant has enabled the DSDP to create a bespoke mentoring service and soft skills training curriculum. This reflects the DSDP’s strategic vision of contributing to a resilient and skills-diverse UK data workforce.
2023-24 has seen the DSDP develop its EDI strategy under the leadership of EDI Chair Sajid Siraj, in line with the University’s EDI Implementation Plan.
As part of this, the DSDP was the first University staff programme to enact positive action recruitment of individuals from low socio-economic backgrounds in 2024In September 2024, the Programme welcomes 8 new data scientists who will work on 16 projects exploring questions from, where do e-cargo bikes go?, to the impact of hospitalisation incidents on patients with histories of mental ill health.