About DataX | UCLA DataX

UCLA DataX is a strategic initiative focused on strengthening research and education in data science and critical data studies across more than 40 different schools, divisions, departments, programs, institutes, centers and initiatives. We aim to amplify civic engagement and transform education at UCLA by bringing together a robust and highly collaborative community of people working across data science and data studies, which include, but are not limited to: humanists, social scientists, artists, legal scholars, researchers in health and medicine, mathematicians, statisticians, computer scientists and engineers. Many in our UCLA research community understand the challenges and opportunities afforded by data science and are increasingly working together on complex data-driven problems, from the arts, aerospace and environmental science to the life, social and physical sciences.

DataX is designed to bring together scientists, humanists, engineers and scholars from each UCLA division in the College and all UCLA schools. At UCLA, we believe that data is transforming the world, and we are producing cutting-edge research and pedagogy that contends with and solves important social problems.

As a campus priority, DataX is establishing administrative structures that can enable resource sharing for the entire campus by helping people find collaborators, learn about new problems and techniques, and participate in a campus-wide educational effort to make data science accessible to all students. We endeavor to offer an interdisciplinary academic hub that makes it possible for individual faculty, departments, programs, divisions and schools to do things they otherwise would find difficult or impossible alone.

DataX also aspires to serve as a new entry point that will provide a broad range of undergraduate and graduate students a welcoming path to data fluency, including exposure to technical programming and statistical skills, as well as a variety of social, ethical, and critical considerations. The career landscape for our students has changed dramatically in recent years and continues to do so at a rapid pace, driven by the widespread availability and use of data. This challenge is an interdisciplinary and campus-wide one which DataX is poised to address.

Our overriding principle is one of inclusion. DataX will provide pathways for interested faculty and students at all technical levels. Integral to this commitment is building a community of researchers and creators with diverse identities, experiences and backgrounds, with a particular focus on inclusion of historically underrepresented groups in data science and studies.

Among the issues we address are ownership, privacy, authenticity, validity, classification, equity and sustainability...Our faculty, students, and programs are renowned among peer schools for their critical, multi-disciplinary, community-driven research, teaching, creative work and professional practice.

School of Education and Information Studies WP

The Three Pillars of DataX

We are committed to a broad understanding of data science. Therefore, DataX is conceptually organized around three equal pillars: Fundamental Data Science, Applied | Creative Data, and Data Justice & Data in Society.

While these pillars provide a taxonomy for understanding the data science environment at UCLA, it would be a mistake to consider them discreet and rigid categories. On the contrary, a basic assumption of DataX is that data science is interdisciplinary with scholars moving between and/or straddling the areas encapsulated by the three pillars. Scholars in data justice research understand and care very much about how mathematical models in fundamental data science are structured; while scholars who are dedicated to creating and using powerful applications of data science have interests in the ethical and social impact of the methodologies they mobilize in their research.

Data Justice & Data in Society

Data Justice scholars are concerned about how data ownership and data use in society impact people and specific populations. Questions of access, power and equity are key to data justice and data studies.

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Fundamental Data Science

Concerned with how to handle massive amounts of data, fundamental data scientists explore questions about the nature of and patterns in data, create models for analysis, and make predictions.

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Applied | Creative Data

Scholars create and use innovative software applications to explore critical questions to improve outcomes in society, healthcare, politics, economics and more.

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The emergence of materials informatics, i.e., materials data infrastructures combined with data-driven materials discovery techniques, holds the promise of revolutionizing the process of discovery and characterization of novel materials.

Materials Science & Engineering WP

DataX History

2026

One year anniversary of opening of space on campus
DataX offers its 50th event
DataX provides $262,000 in seed funding to 9 interdisciplinary, proof-of-concept research projects to catalyze innovation and future extramural funding proposals
The DataX Research Network expands to 18 centers and initiatives

2025

DataX opens its newly renovated suite in Murphy Hall to the UCLA campus community
George Michailidis, Professor of Statistics and Data Science, joins DataX leadership team as new Faculty Director for Fundamental Data Science
Julia Powles joins UCLA DataX as Tech Policy Lead
Jacqueline Alderson joins UCLA DataX as Director of Tech and Human Performance
DataX provides 50% funding for three new assistant professor in the departments of Biostatisics, Mathematics, Statistics & Data Science

2024

DataX provides 50% funding for new assistant professor in the Department of Communication.
DataX launches Skilltype, an online learning platform with workshops and courses available to all UCLA students, faculty and staff.
DataX announces an expanded leadership model, with a faculty lead for each of the pillars and an executive faculty director.

Data Justice and Critical Data Studies: Safiya U. Noble, David O. Sears Presidential Endowed Chair of Social Sciences and professor of gender studies, African American studies and information studies.
Fundamental Data Science: Mark S. Handcock, distinguished professor of statistics.
Innovative Applications and Creative Activity: Chris Johanson, associate professor of classics and chair of digital humanities.
Interim executive faculty director — Eleazar Eskin, professor and chair of the Department of Computational Medicine; and professor of computer science and human genetics

2023

In the spring of 2023, DataX Strategy Task Force released its report for the future of the initiative.

“This report is a great start to laying the foundation for the initiative, notable for the breadth of its vision and the richness of its detail. I want to thank the faculty advisory committee who have been involved in furthering the vision for DataX, with support from the Office of the VC for Research and Creative Activities, the Academic Senate, UCLA Deans, the EVC/Provost’s Office, and the Chancellor’s Office (Professor Safiya Umoja Noble, Interim Director, UCLA DataX Initiative).”

2022

Professor Safiya Umoja Noble appointed as Interim Director of DataX, effective July 1, 2022.

2020

Professors Jacob G. Foster and Mark L. Green discussed how UCLA plans to leverage advances in data science and AI to transform research, creative activities, and education across disciplines. Both served as Special Assistants to VCR for Strategic Initiatives in Data Science.

• May 15 - Professional Schools

• May 15 - College

• May 19 - College

• May 19 - Professionals Schools

Please refer to the UCLA DataX Strategy Town Hall slides for additional details.

2019

The DataX initiative was commenced in the 2019-2020 Academic Year. See the initial announcement and call for white papers here.