I-Explore students weave data and culture in new interdisciplinary DO project

'History of Science, Technology & Industry' students presented their work in the Data Observatory in a project led by Dr Michael Weatherburn.

In Autumn 2023, Horizons HSS Field Leader Dr Michael Weatherburn was approached by the Data Science Institute (DSI) to run a project using the Imperial College London Data Observatory, the largest open-source data observatory in Europe. Working in partnership with the DSI’s Gemma Ralton and Brython Caley-Davies, Dr Weatherburn set up a 2-month interdisciplinary student project, which concluded at the end of February 2024.

The Imperial undergraduates involved in the project are currently enrolled on HSS 3^rd/4^th Year module History of Science, Technology and Industry taught by Dr Weatherburn. During the project the students used the evidence bank from a study by the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) entitled Rapid Evidence Assessment: Culture and Heritage Valuation Studies which has now grown into this larger UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) study. 

Students worked in five interdisciplinary groups in short periods across two months, following Dr Weatherburn’s research project hackathon approach. They then presented the work in the data observatory on 22nd February 2024. A selection of the participating students are pictured with Imperial staff Michael Weatherburn (far left), Brython Caley-Davies (third left) and Gemma Ralton (fourth left).

The experience highlighted how successfully CLCC and DSI staff can collaborate as well as demonstrating that, even within a limited timeframe, Imperial undergraduates can produce considerable results with no specialist training. The project also brought together three Imperial staff who happen to be alumni of the university and laid some groundwork for future CLCC-DSI collaboration.