Imperial News

Data Science Institute welcomes visitors for the Great Exhibition Road Festival

by Gemma Ralton

The Data Science Institute was among those from Imperial College opening its doors for the Great Exhibition Road Festival 2022.

The Data Science Institute (DSI) hosted an exciting weekend of fully booked tours and workshops, allowing the public to hear from data science researchers as part of the Great Exhibition Road Festival 2022.

The annual event, which took place on 18-19 June, saw Exhibition Road transformed into a huge festival, celebrating trailblazing ideas in the sciences and the arts.

Behind the scenes of the DSI


Visitors enjoyed tours of the data observatory
The DSI stand exhibited in the Smart Machines Zone
Visitors of all ages engaged in hands-on computer building workshops
Computer building workshops at the DSI

Set up in the Smart Machine Zone, the DSI stand welcomed visitors by giving an introduction into the field of data science and answering any questions. Those interested in finding out more could then book a tour to visit the data observatory, led by Research Fellow Dr Ovidiu Serban and Systems Administrator Andrianirina Rakotoharisoa.

The tour took visitors behind the scenes at the Data Science Institute, highlighting various projects including research into Bitcoin, the Mars rover and cycling patterns in central London.

The DSI also hosted a series of workshops led by Infrastructure Manager Florian Guitton and Senior IT Systems Administrator Oliver Nixon, where curious minds, including kids and adults alike, could come and learn about the different components that make up a computer and attempt to build one.

 An annual festival

The Great Exhibition Road Festival is a free annual celebration of science and the arts each summer in South Kensington.

The festival features workshops, talks, performances and instillations from iconic museums, research and culture organisations including Imperial College London, the Natural History Museum, the V & A and the Science Museum to name just a few.

For more information on the festival and to ensure you don’t miss out next year follow @ExRdFestival on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.