Upcoming Events

Data CommUnication Challenge

Data CommUnication Challenge

Do U Love Data? Join the Data CommUnication Challenge for Love Data Week!

If you think you can turn data into a story that captivates and informs audiences, we want to see it! Marking the end of Love Data Week, the Data CommUnication Challenge invites undergraduate and graduate students to showcase their ability to transform complex data into clear, compelling narratives. Submit your best work and show how data can inspire action and
spark understanding. Choose from two submission tracks designed to highlight different approaches to data storytelling:

Track 1: Data Dashboard

Participants design a dashboard (or series of dashboards) that tell a clear, impactful story through data. This track draws inspiration from Tableau’s Iron Viz , encouraging participants to combine technical, design, and narrative skills. Participants  may use any visualization software or coding language they prefer.

Track 2: Short-Format Video

Participants create engaging short-form content—such as TikTok-style videos, Instagram reels, or other brief multimedia formats—that communicate insights in a concise and creative way. This track is inspired by ICPSR’s Data Communication Scholarship , which emphasizes accessibility and creativity in data storytelling. Participants in this track who use ICPSR data in their submissions will be eligible to apply for the ICPSR Scholarship, offering an additional incentive to explore and leverage rich social science datasets.

Ready to share your data story or just want to stay informed about this event? Sign up to receive challenge updates HERE . Guest judges and prizes to be announced in January! 

Missed our info session on 12/11? View the recording , download our slides , or email us for more information.

How to Participate: 

No pressure—this isn't a commitment! It's just the best way to stay in the loop on challenge details, submission tips, and event updates. Sign up to receive challenge updates HERE .

Find the data that speaks to you! Whether it's a dataset you're using for a research project or one that's just for fun, you decide!

Decide how you want to share your data story, as a dashboard or short-format video. You choose the software and format you're most comfortable working with.

Let us know you're planning to submit an entry! You may only participate in one of the two tracks. Register HERE by February 1, 2026.

Note: Participation is only open to current University of Utah undergraduate and graduate students. Email us if you have any questions about your eligibility. You must register to be able to participate.

Prepare your entry in the form of a digital file, public link, and/or poster.

Submit your entry for review by our esteemed panel of judges. We'll also handle the printing of your poster for our showcase on February 13.

Note: Only those who submit by this deadline will be eligible to participate in the showcase and be considered for one of our prizes.

Meet us in the Gould Auditorium to share your project, chat with judges, and network with other data communicators and industry professionals.

The showcase will be open to the public from 10am to 11:45am.

Stick around for good food and the announcement of our challenge winners!

The award luncheon will take place from 12pm to 1pm.

Anyone participating in the challenge or planning to attend the lunch must register by February 1.
Note: Registering to participate in the challenge counts as your registration to attend the awards luncheon. You do not need to register to attend the public showcase.

stylized bee and hive icon with text "Data Drop-In Hours"

Data Drop-In Hours

Join us for weekly drop-in hours focused on all things Research Data!

When: Thursdays | 12pm to 1pm
Where: Digital Matters, J. Willard Marriott Library (Level 2)
Hosted by: Kaylee Alexander & Madison Golden, Research Data Librarians

Need help organizing, describing, or sharing your research data?

Wondering what FAIR data means?

Struggling to write a Data Management & Sharing Plan?

  • What We Can Help With:
  • Writing Data Management and Sharing Plans (DMSPs)
  • Organizing data and file structures for active projects
  • Finding and accessing research data
  • Curating and sharing your research data
  • Understanding funder and publisher data requirements
  • Making your data more FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable)

No appointment needed—just drop in!

Can’t make it? Email us to schedule a consultation.

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