Use Data As Your Compass

The second annual Institutional Data Summit was recently held on March 6, 2025. The summit is the university’s largest data literacy event and provides an opportunity for in-person professional development and increased visibility of cutting-edge institutional data tools available to campus employees and UAccess Analytics users.

This year’s summit featured five dynamic tracks with a total of 19 breakout sessions, in addition to a thought-provoking morning keynote and a new lunchtime panel. Ashley Hurand, Event Steering Committee Chair and UAIR Director, kicked off the event with welcoming remarks and an introduction to the keynote speaker. In her opening address, Hurand emphasized the growing importance of data-informed decision-making.

As we chart our course through an ever-changing higher education landscape, institutional data can serve as our compass—guiding decision-making, improving strategies, and ensuring that we are always moving in the right direction. - Ashley Hurand

Having over 250 in-person attendees, 63% of whom were first-time participants, Hurand used this time to emphasize the importance of fostering connections across campus. After welcoming attendees, Hurand introduced this year’s keynote speaker. 

PUT YOUR SOCKS ON

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Dr. Ricardo Valerdi, Department Head of Systems & Industrial Engineering and Professor at the University of Arizona, delivered an engaging keynote on data-informed decision-making. He explored key concepts like decision vs. outcome quality, Simpson’s Paradox, and Benford’s Law. Drawing on a range of examples, including an unfortunate championship play from the Arizona Wildcat women’s basketball team, comparisons of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig’s batting averages, and a real-life financial crime case from Maricopa County (State of Arizona vs. Wayne James Nelson, 1992), Valerdi leveraged his expertise in cost estimation, sports analytics, and decision-making to provide a compelling and informative presentation.

NAVIGATING THE FUTURE: DATA, PRIVACY, AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. 

At lunch, the Steering Committee introduced a new feature—a lunchtime panel where campus experts from diverse fields, including privacy, information security, AI governance, and data science, discussed the current landscape of data, privacy, and artificial intelligence, as well as future challenges. The panelists included Joe Conley, Chief Privacy Officer at the University of Arizona, who provides strategic oversight on privacy matters and ensures compliance with regulatory standards; Tim Schwab, Chief Information Security Officer, responsible for overseeing IT security and managing critical systems across the university; Nirav Merchant, Director of the Data Science Institute, focused on developing scalable platforms for open science and bridging gaps in emerging technology adoption; and Iqbal Hossain, Director of Research Data Science for the Knowledge Map, specializing in network analysis, natural language processing, and machine learning.

As artificial intelligence technologies continue to evolve and increasingly depend on vast amounts of data, a critical question emerges: how can we ensure that personal data is not only protected but also used ethically? In an effort to address this complex issue, this year’s panelists offered valuable insights and thought-provoking perspectives.

5 TRACKS, 19 SESSIONS

Throughout the day, attendees had the opportunity to learn from experts across the university—UAIR staff, department directors, financial professionals, graduate students, and more—about the innovative ways data is transforming the institution’s work. The tracks covered a wide range of topics, from beginner-friendly content to student and administrative data, case studies, and insights from campus trailblazers. With such a diverse range of sessions, there was something for everyone. For those who had to make tough choices or couldn’t attend, session recordings are now available for you to catch up!