Submit a Project

  1. Using Data Science /
  2. Data Science for Social Good /
  3. Submit a Project
UW campus and cherry blossoms

Submit a Project

Do you have an idea for a UW DSSG project? We want to hear it!

Project proposals for the 2024 UW DSSG program are now closed

Call for Proposals

We invite short proposals for 10-week long data-intensive research projects making compelling, timely, and publicly relevant interventions. Each year, the eScience Institute selects several projects for inclusion in the UW Data Science for Social Good program. We provide support by assigning four Student Fellows selected and paid by the eScience Institute to work on the project full-time, along with a Data Scientist from the eScience Institute who serves as a technical advisor and helps to co-manage the project.

We welcome proposals submitted by academic researchers, public agencies, non-profit entities, and industry that are poised to take advantage of tremendous student talent, professional technical skills, and computational resources.

We look for projects that would benefit from collaboration on data science approaches, such as scalable data management, statistical analysis, machine learning, open-source software development, cloud and cluster computing, and data visualization.

Successful proposals are methodologically rigorous and designed to address societal challenges in areas including but not limited to human services, public policy, health and safety, transportation, environmental conservation, accessibility, social justice, and urban informatics. This year, up to four projects will be selected; two of these will be related to transportation and two are open to any domain or application area. 

If you have an idea for a project that could benefit from access to a team of talented and motivated students, exposure to new data-intensive methods, and guidance in best practices for software development, reproducible science, and human-centered design, then we would love to hear from you.  

We take a very broad view of what counts as data science and support projects that vary greatly in terms of their methods, scope, and maturity. In reviewing the proposals, we will be looking for projects with well-defined deliverables that clearly articulate how the work advances social good and how the UW DSSG program can advance the project. 

Projects from our previous UW DSSG programs may serve as useful inspiration. Click here for summaries of projects from 2015-2023. To learn more about last year’s program, read our blog about Fellows’ experiences or view their final project presentations.

Authors of accepted proposals will become Project Leads in the UW DSSG program, and will closely collaborate with a Data Scientist from the eScience Institute and an interdisciplinary team of four Student Fellows selected and paid by eScience (see sections on Project Team Composition, Location, Time Commitment, and Financial Support below).


Dates at a Glance

  • Wednesday, January 3, 2024: Proposal submission form opens.
  • Thursday, January 25, 2024, 2:00–3:00 p.m.: Register for the Zoom Information Session.
  • Tuesday, February 20, 2024: 11:59 PT: Deadline for submitting project proposals.
  • Wednesday, March 6, 2024: Project proposal short-list notification.
  • Thursday, March 28, 2024: Target for notification of project selection.
  • April – June 2024: Project scoping meetings with data scientists (2-3 meetings).
  • Monday, June 10  – Friday, Aug 16, 2024: UW DSSG Program.

Project Team Composition

Authors of accepted proposals join our program as Project Leads. A professional Data Scientist employed at the eScience Institute helps the Project Lead co-manage a team of four Student Fellows who are selected and paid by the eScience Institute as full-time interns. Student Fellows are graduate students or undergraduate seniors who will be entering graduate school in Fall 2024.

The Project Lead bears primary responsibility for project design and execution throughout the summer. The Data Scientist provides guidance on data science methods, tools and technologies, research best practices, and software engineering. Student responsibilities vary from project to project, but their role may include developing code, selecting methods, conducting analyses, contributing to design, preparing documentation, producing visualizations, and incorporating stakeholder perspectives into the project. The project team may also include external mentors and stakeholders as appropriate.

In addition to their project-based work, Student Fellows and Project Leads have the opportunity to participate in a number of technical tutorials, discussion-based workshops, and subject matter talks.


Location

In the last several years, the UW DSSG program has been run through a variation of remote, in-person, and hybrid formats. The program format is determined each year based on public health guidelines and other factors. This year, we anticipate that UW DSSG Student Fellows will be working on campus and will be required to be present during most regular business hours (though teams will have some flexibility to incorporate a certain amount of remote hours into their team’s schedule.). However, Project Leads will have even greater flexibility and may be able to participate remotely for most or all of the program if desired. If a project proposal advances to our shortlist, we will have a conversation with prospective Project Leads about what format would work best for them.


Time Commitment

The UW DSSG program takes place from mid-June through late August. Project Leads commit to being available on average 16 hours per week for the duration of the 10-week program (June 10 – August 16). Some of this time will consist of team meetings and synchronous co-working, but it also includes time for being ambiently available to respond to asynchronous communications (e.g. through email and Slack) as questions arise during the Student Fellows’ day-to-day work. This time commitment also encompasses participation in mandatory program-wide activities, including onboarding during the first week of the program and regularly scheduled check-ins throughout the summer.  

For the most part, Project Leads have the flexibility to establish a work schedule that makes sense for them and their teams. However, please note that Project Leads are expected to take part in certain program-wide activities, and so some flexibility in their availability is essential. The first week of the program consists of several mandatory orientation and teamwork sessions that require Project Lead participation, and Project Leads are also expected to participate in program-wide meetings that recur weekly or biweekly throughout the summer. 

Data Scientists from eScience also commit the equivalent of 16 hours per week to project support and mentorship, while Student Fellows will be employed full-time throughout the summer, and are expected to work on their assigned projects during regular business hours Monday-Friday.


Financial Support

We expect that in most cases, a Project Lead will be participating in the UW DSSG program in the capacity of an existing full-time position that covers their salary. Therefore we generally do not provide funds to support Project Lead participation in the program. 

However, we recognize that in some circumstances, a Project Lead may require financial support. This might include a university faculty member without summer grant funding, an employee of an under-resourced community organization with limited funds to support the proposed work, and other circumstances. In such cases, a prospective Project Lead may apply for supplemental funds to facilitate their participation. 

If you are submitting a project proposal to the UW DSSG program and are also interested in applying for Project Lead funding, you will be asked to describe the circumstances that warrant this request and state the amount of money you are requesting. The level of support we can provide will depend on the number of requests we receive and the availability of funds.

Click HERE to apply for Project Lead funding.


Proposal Deadline

The Project proposals deadline for the 2024 UW DSSG program closed on February 20, 2024.


Questions?

A recording of the information session for the 2024 UW DSSG program may be found on our YouTube channel.

Please see our Frequently Asked Questions page for prospective Project Leads.

We also strongly encourage you to reach out to us early on with any questions you may have about the program, selection process, or what makes a successful project. For general inquiries, please contact UW DSSG Program Director Anissa Tanweer.

Working with the UW DSSG Fellows and data scientists has transformed our software from a basic package to a cutting edge, sophisticated software suite.”

Matt A. Barreto, 2020 DSSG Project Lead

UW DSSG Project Lead Testimonials

Watch the video to hear from some of our UW Data Science for Social Good project leads from previous years: Jennie Romich from the West Coast Poverty Center, Mark Hallenbeck from the Washington State Transportation Center, and Youngjun Choe from UW Industrial Systems & Engineering.