Data lovers, community enthusiasts and tech junkies invited to A2 Data Dive

Shayaan Dar is changing the world one data set at a time. A senior at the University of Michigan School of Information (UMSI), Shayaan is president of A2 Data Dive, a student group serving civic organizations with their data needs. 

A2 Data Dive is hosting a virtual hackathon from 1-6 p.m. EDT on Sunday, March 27. In honor of Women’s History Month, the hackathon will help the Library of Congress with several projects focusing on women’s civil rights and the suffrage movement. 

Shayaan says community members will have the opportunity to dive into letters written by Rosa Parks, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. 

“This is a great event for organizations like the Library of Congress to get help with data-related issues and for participants to work hands-on with a client and gain teamwork and technical skills,” Shayaan says. 

The A2 Data Dive event is virtual this year and open to anyone from the community. No experience is required. Participants will have five hours to engage with the data sets and interact with UMSI students and data scientists to solve real-world issues. 

A2 Data Dive was founded in 2011 by UMSI student Nikki Roda during her first year in the Master of Science in Information program. Since its creation, A2 Data Dive has been hosting a variety of workshops and hackathons for UMSI students and the public, and Shayaan has participated in the events throughout his time at the school. 

Shayaan says his experience in the hackathons improved his coding skills and helped him better understand how to work with clients. 

“It’s been really great to have the ability to work on a real project with a real client outside of my classes,” Shayaan says.

After graduation, Shayaan is moving to Chicago to work as a tech consultant. For Shayaan, the Data Dive is another event in a long list of opportunities for UMSI students and the general public to meaningfully engage with real-world research. 

“I love the coursework at UMSI and the curriculum, but I also feel like there’s a lot of events and workshops, for example, that let you gain experience outside of the classroom,” Shayaan says. 

To register for the A2 Data Dive, interested participants can fill out this Google form. Learn more about the event and A2 Data Dive here.