MDI Scholars

The MDI Scholars program was launched in 2019 through the Massive Data Institute (MDI) as an experiential learning opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students to work alongside researchers and practitioners to engage in interdisciplinary data science and public policy research across Georgetown.

Research

In partnership with faculty and participations, MDI Scholars participate in interdisciplinary data science and public policy research across Georgetown.

Skills-building

Students meet 4 times a semester to deep-dive on relevant data science tools and theories and exchange ideas to build their understanding of tools and methods used by researchers and practitioners.

Showcase

At the end of the semester, MDI Scholars present findings from their research at the MDI Scholars Showcase. This is an opportunity for a broader audience to learn more about students’ research.

MDI Scholars Summer 2025 Applications Now Open

We are pleased to announce a call for applications for the Summer 2025 cohort of the MDI Scholars Program. For full consideration, the application deadline is Friday, April 4, 2025 at 11:59pm Eastern.

Current MDI Scholars

MDI Scholars work with faculty and researchers on cutting edge research projects at the intersection of data science and public policy. They are undergraduate and graduate students from across the University who form a community of like-minded people who are advancing data analysis for public policy at Georgetown.

Rebecca Ansell (She/Her)

Georgetown School of Arts & Sciences, Computer Science ’25

Vagdevi Sahasra Bandaru (She/Her)

Georgetown School of Arts & Sciences, Computer Science ’25

Jorge Bris Moreno (He/Him)

Georgetown School of Arts & Sciences, Data Science and Analytics ’25

Stacy Che (She/Her)

Georgetown School of Arts & Sciences, Data Science and Analytics ’26

Victor Chen (He/Him)

Georgetown College, Computer Science ’27

Binhui Chen (She/Her)

Georgetown School of Arts & Sciences, Data Science and Analytics ’25

Gabriella Cova (She/Her)

McCourt School of Public Policy, Master of Public Policy ’26

Henry Deng (He/Him)

Georgetown College, Computer Science and Mathematics, Economics Minor ’26

Jeffrey Gao (He/Him)

Walsh School of Foreign Service, Mathematics, Computer Science ’25

Gordon Grandbouche (He/Him)

Mathematics BA and Computer Science, Ethics, & Society BA, 2027

Ziwen “Jasmine” Jia (She/Her)

McCourt School of Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy ’25

Hannah Kim (She/Her)

Georgetown School of Arts & Sciences, Data Science and Analytics ’25

Amy Li (She/Her)

Walsh School of Foreign Service, Business and Global Affairs/Statistics and French ’26

Ann Lian (She/Her)

McCourt School of Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy ’25

Justin Liu (He/Him)

McCourt School of Public Policy, Master of Public Policy ’26

Shun Liu (He/Him)

McCourt School of Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy ’25

Tabitha Macharia (She/Her)

Georgetown College, Computer Science ’26

William McGloin (He/Him)

Georgetown School of Arts & Sciences, Data Science and Analytics ’25

Rich Pihlstrom (He/Him)

Georgetown School of Arts & Sciences, Data Science Science and Analytics ’25

Ankita Sharma (She/Her)

Georgetown College, Computer Science and Mathematics, 2025

Maggie “Xinhe” Shen (She/Her)

Georgetown College, Mathematics & Computer Science ’26

Wendy (Yundi) Shi (She/Her)

McCourt School of Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy ’25

Gabriel Soto (He/Him)

McCourt School of Public Policy, Data Science for Public Policy ’25

Hexuan Judy Wang (She/Her)

Georgetown College, Political Economics and Studio Art ’27

Zining (Cathy) Wang (She/Her)

Georgetown School of Arts & Sciences, Data Science and Analytics ’25

Joshua Wiesenfeld (He/Him)

Georgetown College, Computer Science, Government ’25

Miranda Xiong (She/Her)

Georgetown School of Arts & Sciences, History & Classics ’25

Quan Yuan (She/Her)

Georgetown School of Arts & Sciences, Data Science and Analytics ’25

Spring 2025 MDI Scholars

MDI is excited to welcome the Spring 2025 Cohort of the MDI Scholars Program.

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Spring 2025 Research At MDI

The Massive Data Institute at the McCourt School of Public Policy welcomed the Spring 2025 Cohort of student researchers.

explore the research

Past MDI Scholars

Every semester new Scholars join the MDI team. See the past Scholars and their work here.

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Research Advisors

Maria Alva

Tenure Line — Assistant Professor

Nejla Asimovic

Assistant Professor

Michael Bailey

Colonel William J. Walsh Professor of American Government, Department of Government and McCourt School of Public Policy

Shweta Bansal

Professor

Sarah Bargal

Assistant Professor

Robin Dillon-Merrill

Professor and Operations and Information Management Area Chair

Qiwei He

Associate Professor

Andrea Headley

Assistant Professor

Rupayan Mallick

Postdoctoral Associate – Main Campus

Helge Marahrens

Postdoctoral Associate

Amy O’Hara

Research Professor
Director, Georgetown Federal Statistical Research Data Center

Sejin Paik

Postdoctoral Associate – Main Campus

Jake Pasner

Assistant Research Professor

Giulia Pullano

Postdoctoral Associate

Lucy Qin

Postdoctoral Associate

Elissa Redmiles

Assistant Professor

Toni-Lee Sangastiano

Associate Professor of the Practice
Digital Media Specialist Department of Art and Art History, Medical Humanities Core Faculty

Nathan Schneider

Associate Professor

Micah Sherr

Professor
Callahan Family Professor of Computer Science

Lisa Singh

Director, Massive Data Institute
Sonneborn Chair | Chair and Professor, Department of Computer Science | Professor, McCourt School of Public Policy

Stephanie Straus

Policy Fellow
McCourt School of Public Policy

Brandon Waldon

Postdoctoral Associate

Ioannis Ziogas

Assistant Teaching Professor/ MDI Assistant Research Professor

Research Partner Organizations