UNB Data Challenge

Tell a story with data 

The Data Challenge will bring together three competitive events, the Open Data Visualization (5^th annual), Data Analytics (new), and Data Sprint (new) on March 11-12, 2021 virtually on Microsoft Teams. Take up the challenge and demonstrate the power of data, with the flexibility to take part remotely.

To attend the event, view our event brochure.

In every challenge, there's opportunity

Participants and teams will have the chance to showcase their ability to tell a story driven by data in three unique competitive formats. Teams can take part in all three competitive events. It is an ideal setting for citizens to get engaged, to meet leaders in academia, government, and private organizations, and to explore the world of data science. 

Register now

 

Data Visualization Competition (5^th annual)

Teams will assess and analyze data related to one of the 17 goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and present to an audience to communicate a recommendation, story, or new idea. This allows for better decision-making and more varied solutions to problems that span a wide range of social, environmental, and economic topics. 

Presentation round

Each team will be required to present their data story to a panel of judges through data visualizations (charts, graphs, etc.) using any software (PowerPoint, Tableau, Keynote, etc). Participants will need to share their screen on Microsoft Teams and present to a panel of judges. 

• The presentations are limited to four minutes, followed by a ten-minute Q&A period.
• Eliminations before lunch.
• 6 finalists will present after lunch.
• Prizes: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.
• Submission deadline: All teams must showcase their completed presentations via Microsoft Teams on Mar. 12, 2021.

Infographic round

Your infographic posters will be shared with the judges before the competition. You will neither be presenting your infographic posters or required to be showcase them.

• Landscape format: JPEG file format, medium or high resolution.
• Submission deadline: Mar. 1, 2021.
• Prizes: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place + viewer's choice.

Data Visualization Guidelines

Data sets (open)

• You may use any open data sets available to the public that relate to at least 1 of the 17 Goals in the 2030 Agenda.
• You also may use the data found on the Sustainable Development Goals Data Hub.

Team composition

• Teams can have one to four participants.
• Open to students and non-students.
• Check pre-requisites section.

Register here (complete by midnight Feb. 28, 2021)

 

Data Analytics Competition (new)

Teams will get to put their analytical skills to the test and present their insights to an audience. Teams must choose one of the five data sets provided (available Feb. 11). The data sets will cover different themes from the private and government sector. What insights are you able to discover? How well can you separate the useful information from the "noise"? What outcomes are you able to predict? What are your recommendations?    

Presentation round

Each team is required to present their data insights to a panel of judges explaining how they arrived at those insights through a data analytics platform of choice. Teams must be able to convey their complex analysis as simply as possible, and tell a story. 

You will need to present your analysis to a panel of judges within 10 mins followed by a 10 min Q&A period. During your presentation you must show all the steps, tests, justifications, and decisions you took to arrive at your insight/prediction. You must be able to explain to a lay person these steps in a clear and concise manner. You may use any method for displaying your analysis, for example Jupyter Notebook, PowerPoint, or in SPSS or STATA directly so long as you are able to display this through Microsoft Teams.

• The presentations are limited to ten minutes, followed by a ten-minute Q&A period.
• Eliminations before lunch.
• 6 finalists will present after lunch.
• Prizes: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.
• Submission deadline: All teams must showcase their completed presentations via Microsoft Teams on Mar. 12, 2021.

Teaser poster round

Using only 3 sentences, how much curiosity can you generate for your presentation? The teaser-posters will be shared with the judges before the competition. You will neither be presenting your teaser-posters or required to showcase them.

• Landscape format: JPEG file format, medium or high resolution.
• Submission deadline: Mar. 1, 2021.
• Prizes: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place + viewer's choice.

Data Analytics Guidelines

Data sets (fixed)

• Data sets will be provided on Feb. 11, 2021.
• COVID-19 themed data sets
• Teams must select one data set to work on.
• You can supplement your analysis with another data set provided it is an open data set.

Team composition

• Teams can have one to four participants.
• Open to students and non-students.
• Check pre-requisites section.

Register here (complete by midnight Feb. 28, 2021)

 

Data Sprint Competition (new)

This fun hackathon-style competition will put your data skills to the test in a time-tied scenario. There is no preparation required as the data set will provided on the morning of the event (Mar. 11, 2021) itself. Can you tackle a data set with speed, accuracy, and creativity? Choose your teams wisely!

All participants will need to know SPARQL and will be required to run queries on Wikidata.

Presentation round

All the teams will get to work on a single robust Wikidata set over two hours, so speed, accuracy, and creativity all count! The ring master (data sprint guide) will present questions you need to find the answers to. All the teams will have one chance to present their findings to judges.

The Data Sprint is hosted on a remote server with a custom Wikidata set uploaded. Teams will gain access to the server on March 11, via Microsoft Teams. Teams must know how to run queries on Wikidata and be familiar with SPARQL. Check out this Wikidata SPARQL tutorial. 

• The presentations are limited to four minutes, followed by a ten-minute question and answer period.
• Wikidata set and questions released before lunch.
• Teams get 2 hours to work on the data set.
• Teams have one chance to present after lunch.
• Prizes: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.

Data Sprint Guidelines

Data sets (fixed, single)

• One Wikidata set will be provided on Mar. 11, 2021.
• Teams will have 2 hours to work on it and showcase their results.

Team composition

• Teams can have one to four partcipants.
• Open to students and non-students.
• Check pre-requisites section.

Register here (complete by midnight Feb. 28, 2021)

 

Showcase your organization at the 2021 Data Challenge 

Receive promotional opportunities and benefits with by becoming a sponsor. Checkout our sponsorship package and get in touch with ibec@unb.ca for more information.

  

Congratulations to all the 2021 virtual Data Challenge winning teams

Data Sprint

1st Place - NBIF Innovative Data Award

Team: Qute Data
Team Members: Jan Ainali, Andrew Lih, Albin Larsson, Nicolas Vigneron
Prize amount: $1,250

2nd Place - Harold Boley Semantic Technology Award

Team: Civic Tech Fredericton
Team Members: Jocelyn Iloreta, Meredith Langille, Mohamed Moawad, Pierre Cormier
Prize amount: $750 

 

Data Visualization Presentation Round

1st Place

Team: Ivey MSc Data Viz Team
Team Members: Apery Kirakalaprathapan, Jun Huang, Tijana Rajic, Valay Shah
Prize amount: $750

2nd Place

Team: Salonee Tyagi
Team Members: Salonee Tyagi
Prize amount: $500

3rd Place

Team: Students & Stats
Team Members: Sarah Dubois, Solomon Weber Emavwodia
Prize amount: $250

 

Data Visualization Infographic Round

1st Place

Team: Civic Tech Fredericton
Team Members: Jocelyn Iloreta, Meredith Langille, Mohamed Moawad, Pierre Cormier
Prize amount: $500 

2nd Place

Team: Students & Stats
Team Members: Sarah Dubois, Solomon Weber Emavwodia
Prize amount: $300

3rd Place

Team: Ivey MSc Data Viz Team
Team Members: Apery Kirakalaprathapan, Jun Huang, Tijana Rajic, Valay Shah
Prize amount: $250

Viewer’s Choice

Team: Star Team
Team Members: Neha Noren Parshad, Neil Renwick, Touloupe Idris
Prize amount: $250

 

Data Analytics Presentation Round 

1st Place – Sponsored by TechImpact

Team: TMR
Team Members: Theebak Sothilingam, Mohammad Raza, Robert Davis
Prize amount: $1,000

2nd Place

Team: Zoom
Team Members: Jophy Joy, Tressy Thomas
Prize amount: $500

3rd Place

Team: Data Wizards
Team Members: Venkata Subhadra Pappu, Sandeep Chandy, Pei Xin, Saad Al-Tak
Prize amount: $250

 

Data Analytics Teaser Poster Round

1st Place

Team: Ninja Turtles
Team Members: Minh Truong, Stella Bae, Yuqing Yang
Prize amount: $400

2nd Place

Team: Data_Tell_Story
Team Members: Fuping Luo, Yongyong Li, Liming Liu
Prize amount: $250

3rd Place

Team: TMR
Team Members: Theebak Sothilingam, Mohammad Raza, Robert Davis
Prize amount: $150

Viewer’s Choice

Team: Datapreneurs
Team Members: Yuvraj Singh, Prachi Baranwal, Tashi Goyal
Prize amount: $250