Save the date - February 9 to 13, 2026 marks the annual international celebration of Love Data Week. The 2026 theme of “Where’s the Data?” encourages thinking and conversation about the journey of data, from collection through storage and preservation.
The University of Minnesota is participating in Love Data Week by hosting data events and educational opportunities (events will be posted below when available) targeted towards University faculty, staff, and students, and by participating in the Big Ten Academic Alliance Data Viz Championship.
Host a Data Event During Love Data Week
UMN faculty, staff, and students: do you have an event / training / anything data-related that is already (or could be) happening during Love Data Week 2026 (February 9 to 13)? Help us curate events for our upcoming calendar with all UMN data-related happenings during that week and by submitting the Love Data Week event submission form.
UMN Love Data Week Calendar of Events
| Event | Description |
|---|---|
Where's the Data?: Data Discovery & Reuse of Datasets Monday, February 9 | As the research landscape continues to evolve, reusing existing data becomes increasingly relevant to our workflows. This workshop will demonstrate various methods for discovering datasets as well as data literacy (evaluating found data) and data ethics (lost and missing data). Available to UMN Faculty, UMN Staff, UMN Students. Join the Where's the Data? session via Zoom |
Data everywhere and for everyone: Intro to data physicalization Monday, February 9 | Join Research Data Services for a drop in data physicalization hands-on activity with Legos. Data physicalizations (DPs) are physical representations of data or also physical representations of abstract data. DPs help us reflect and reason using our senses of touch and vision. Available to UMN Faculty, UMN Staff, UMN Students. Please come visit us, grab a Love Data Week sticker, some candy, and chat about data. Health Sciences Library - HSEC 5-101 - Makerspace. Contact us at [email protected] |
IDEAA Community Meeting Tuesday, February 10 | The Integrating Data, Enterprise Architecture, and Applications (IDEAA) Community of Practice’s purpose is to serve as a venue for the University community to share information and discuss all topics related to data integration, including projects large and small, data, processes, and technology. Please join us for our February meeting! Available to UMN Faculty, UMN Staff. Learn more about the IDEAA group |
Data Science Initiative: AI and Higher Education Webinar Tuesday, February 10 | This session explores practical strategies for helping learners understand AI’s strengths and limitations, while cultivating ethical, effective collaboration with Generative AI (GenAI). Participants will discover how to empower students to leverage uniquely human capabilities—creativity, critical thinking, and empathy—to maximize value in an AI-driven world. Applicable across K-12, higher education, and industry, these approaches will help you integrate GenAI into your organization in ways that are responsible, future-focused, and impactful. Available to UMN Faculty, UMN Staff. Join the Data Science Initiative: AI and Higher Education Webinar |
AI in Action: Innovation Across the Big Ten Tuesday, February 10 | This session will showcase cutting-edge artificial intelligence projects and research from across the Big Ten Academic Alliance and highlight how AI is being applied to solve real-world problems across disciplines—from increasing productivity around reporting to analyzing qualitative data to enhance the effectiveness of educational tools. This panel will include a representative from the University Of Minnesota. Available to UMN Faculty, UMN Staff, UMN Students. Learn more about the AI in Action: Innovation Across the Big Ten session |
StoryMaps: Visual Storytelling with Maps Tuesday, February 10 | This workshop guides participants through the process of telling stories with maps using the Esri Story Map platform. A discussion about best practices in visual storytelling will precede a step-by-step tutorial on creating your own ArcGIS StoryMap. Available to UMN Faculty, UMN Staff, UMN Students. Learn more about the StoryMaps: Visual Storytelling with Maps session |
Careers in Data Wednesday, February 11 | Join us for an insightful panel discussion on careers in data, where leaders and alumni across the Big Ten Academic Alliance share their experiences and insights into the world of data. This session will include a range of topics, including career pathways, skills and education, and emerging trends. Whether you're a student, a professional looking to transition into the data field, or an experienced data practitioner, this panel will provide valuable insights and practical advice to help you navigate a career in data. Available to UMN Faculty, UMN Staff, UMN Students, and the general public. Learn more about the Careers in Data session |
Data Storytelling SIG Wednesday, February 11 | The Data Storytelling SIG hosts presentations for UMN community members interested in all phases of data storytelling - from data collection to transformation, analysis and delivery/communications. At this meeting, we'll hear how one unit is evaluating and addressing the accessibility of data visualizations. Available to UMN Faculty, UMN Staff, UMN Students. Learn more about the Data Storytelling SIG session |
Love Digital Accessibility Wednesday, February 11 | Data visualizations such as charts, graphs, maps, and infographics, provide visual representations of information that help to make complex information easier for some people to understand. This presentation will examine how to ensure that data is communicated in ways that everyone can access and understand, including people with disabilities. It will also include best practices for creating accessible charts, tables, dashboards, and interactive visualizations; highlight relevant guidelines and standards; and offer practical techniques for improving inclusion across research, teaching, and learning. This panel will include a representative from the University Of Minnesota. Available to UMN Faculty, UMN Staff, UMN Students. Learn more about the Love Digital Accessibility session |
Data everywhere and for everyone: Intro to data physicalization Thursday, February 12 | Join Research Data Services for a drop in data physicalization hands-on activity with Legos. Data physicalizations (DPs) are physical representations of data or also physical representations of abstract data. DPs help us reflect and reason using our senses of touch and vision. Available to UMN Faculty, UMN Staff, UMN Students. Please come visit us, grab a Love Data Week sticker, some candy, and chat about data. Walter Library 1st Fl. Contact us at [email protected] |
University of Minnesota Analysts Group Friday, February 13 | The University of Minnesota Analysts Group is a group of data and analytical minded peers (data and business analysts, data engineers, etc.) at the University who share information and presentations on data and analytical related projects and processes to educate and foster collaboration among colleagues. To attend this online Zoom meeting, please join the U of M Analysts Group Google group, or email [email protected]. Available to UMN Faculty, UMN Staff, UMN Students. Learn more about the University of Minnesota Analysts Group |
Big Ten Data Viz Championship Showcase: Discover the Champions Friday, February 13 | The Data Viz Championship Showcase will feature the top data visualization entries from participating BTAA universities - highlighting the talent, innovation, and diverse perspectives of students, faculty, and staff. Come explore powerful visualizations tackling real-world questions and uncover which entries take home top honors in both the Popular Vote and Judges’ Choice categories. Whether you're a data viz enthusiast or simply curious to see data come to life, this is your front-row seat to discover the Big Ten’s data champions. Available to UMN Faculty, UMN Staff, UMN Students. Learn more about the Big Ten Data Viz Championship Showcase: Discover the Champions session |