On November 10, 2024, we hosted Datathon 2024 at Santa Clara University, a free 5-hour long event introducing middle and high school students to data science with a focus on youth health and wellness. With 48 student participants total, the event was successfully led and hosted by Ranya Zhang, a junior at Homestead High School; Katelyn Ye, a senior at Carlmont High School; and Allison Zhou, a junior at Monte Vista High School. Supported by Women in Data Science, the event featured two inspiring keynotes, engaging activities and discussions into how data science and AI can help solve real health issues.

In the end, the students each completed a project and presented their findings either analyzing real breast cancer data or submitting to a Child Internet Usage competition on Kaggle, depending on previous experience.

Keynotes

The day began with an inspiring keynote from Dr. Trudy Gross, Associate Superintendent of Teaching and Learning at Fremont Union High School District and head of the district’s Wellness Council. Dr. Gross shared valuable insights on how data science has supported her efforts to enhance both physical and mental wellness among high school students. She discussed using and analyzing mental health surveys and creating wellness spaces designed for relaxation and stress relief as part of her and the district’s approach.

Our second keynote speaker was Dr. Nive Majumdar, the Senior Manager of Algorithms at Thermo Fisher Scientific. Dr. Majumdar shared how artificial intelligence and data science are transforming healthcare, using real-world examples to show how these technologies can tackle health challenges.

Students were curious and engaged, asking thoughtful questions and thinking about how they might use data science to make a difference.

Speakers

Dr. Menglin Cao, Senior Vice President at Wells Fargo with over 20 years of experience in the field, shared her extensive expertise on how AI is implemented in the financial service industry, discussing its applications in risk management, customer personalization, and fraud detection. Dr. Cao's inspiring story of her career journey and commitment to mentoring others showcased how skills in data science can translate across diverse industries.

Rounding off our speaker lineup, Ms. Shruti Bhutaiya, Senior Machine Learning Engineer at ServiceNow, delivered an insightful talk on the real-world applications of machine learning. She shared how data-driven solutions are crafted in professional environments and highlighted how young learners can start shaping their skills for impactful careers in data science.

Workshop

Before the students began working on their projects, Ranya, Katelyn, and Allison led a Python workshop that introduced them to Google Colab and data analysis using Python’s libraries. The session primarily focused on data visualization, teaching students how to create various types of charts and graphs from a simple data set of restaurant tips provided by the Seaborn library.

Projects

Equipped with foundational skills in Python programming and data analysis, the students split into groups to dive into their projects — either analyzing breast cancer data or participating in a Kaggle competition focused on teen internet usage. Throughout the session, The three high school leaders, along with Dr. Majumdar, Dr. Cao, and Ms. Bhutaiya, provided guidance and support to students as needed.

Presentations

At the end of the day, each group shared their findings, showcasing the skills they’d developed and delivering meaningful insights from their analyses.

Benefits and Takeaways

Datathon 2024 wasn’t just about learning new skills—it was also a chance for students to collaborate, think critically, and see how data science could help improve people’s lives. Many participants expressed interest in exploring data science further, inspired by its potential in creating positive change in fields like healthcare.

The success of Datathon 2024 was clear in the enthusiasm and engagement of the students, who left inspired and eager to learn more. We’re grateful to everyone who participated and supported the event, especially our two keynotes, Dr. Trudy Gross and Dr. Nive Majumdar, as well as our wonderful speakers and mentors Dr. Menglin Cao and Ms. Shruti Bhutaiya from Women in Data Science, staying the entire five hours to offer guidance to the students. A special thank you also goes to Audrey Young for her assistance with check-in, ensuring the event ran smoothly. This datathon is a step toward empowering youth to make a difference with data, and we can’t wait to see the positive impact they’ll have in the future!