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Massive Data Institute Welcomes Spring 2025 Scholars Cohort

Written by Sara Bach, MDI Communications Assistant

On Friday, January 17, the Massive Data Institute (MDI) held its Kick-Off Meeting for the 2025 Spring Scholars Program, welcoming a cohort of 28 students — 11 undergraduate and 17 graduate scholars. The event took place at the Georgetown University Ethics Lab, marking the ongoing collaboration between MDI and the Lab which launched last year to address ethical considerations in data-centric research.

Established in 2019, the MDI Scholars Program provides students with a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the dynamic intersection of data science and public policy. By working alongside researchers and practitioners at Georgetown, scholars gain hands-on experience in conducting research and analyzing data that can drive meaningful change.

These scholars participate in interdisciplinary research projects that span a wide range of disciplines. Through this approach, students not only develop technical and analytical skills, but also gain valuable insight into how data-driven solutions can practically address real-world challenges.

“I am most excited about MDI being used as a mechanism for facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration,” said Elissa Redmiles, Clare Luce Booth Assistant Professor in the Computer Science Department, who has been involved with the MDI Scholars Program for the past two years, serving as an advisor on several projects. “It’s rare to have a program where you can work with individuals with all these different backgrounds, from statistics to computer science to public policy.”

This integration of different backgrounds gives students the opportunity to develop a wide range of skill sets and understand how their backgrounds can intersect to build solutions to complex problems.

The interdisciplinary nature of this program is further celebrated by Lisa Singh, the Director of MDI, who emphasizes her enthusiasm for the diversity of this year’s cohort and projects.

“I am thrilled that this cohort of scholars spans different institutions at Georgetown, from the McCourt School of Public Policy, to the College, to the School of Foreign Service, and the McDonough School of Business,” said Singh. She believes this diversity will be a significant asset to this semester’s research, covering a wide range of topics, including autonomous vehicles, health equity, government workforce, forced displacement, education policy, and generative AI.

“It is amazing to see the types of research these students work on, and I’m excited to see their final projects,” Singh added.

The program’s diverse mix of subjects and learning opportunities, particularly in data science, is what drew Hannah Kim (MSc ’25) to become a scholar.

“When I first looked up the [program on the MDI] website, I liked how various the projects were,” said Kim. “Instead of being limited to certain fields, I was really interested in the fact that I could apply my data science experience to various fields such as climate change, healthcare, and more.”

This program also serves as a platform for students to understand the role of data in driving meaningful policy change.

“I decided to join the MDI Scholars Program because I believe that all levels of the American government need to optimize how they use data to direct policy,” said Justin Liu (MPP ’26). Since Fall 2024, Liu has been working with Amy O’Hara, Research Professor at MDI and Executive Director of the Georgetown Federal Statistical Research Data Center, on research examining the relationship between evictions, racial discrimination, and racial prediction methods.

“The Scholars program lets me work on advancing this goal in a supportive and collaborative community of people who are just as passionate about different, but similar, goals,” he added.

Additionally, the program creates a collaborative environment for students to not only develop their own research, but also see how it relates to the work of their peers and society at large.

For Jonathan Healey, Associate Professor of the Practice of Design and Associate Director of Ethics Lab, one of the highlights of the program is witnessing students reconnect with their work as they prepare for their final presentations.

“It’s a moment when they have to reconnect with their work as a story that needs to relate to others,” he said.

By providing students with the skills and resources needed to bridge the gap between data and policy, this program prepares students to effectively tackle societal challenges and make an impact beyond the classroom.

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