News | Data Driven Discovery Initiative

New on Data Points: From MCP Servers to Peer Review Integrity

Data Points, DDDI's blog for data science and AI at Penn, features a new post recapping the latest AI Fellow Meetup. Meeting attendees discussed model selection, built MCP servers live, and debated what agentic AI means for peer review integrity and student learning.

April 29, 2026

Graphic for the showcase. Black background with light blue glow and text highlights. Text reads: AI Month at Penn, April 2026. AI Arts & Sciences Showcase. List of speakers and departmental affiliations.

The AI Arts & Sciences Showcase!

Wednesday April 15, join for fast-paced lightning talks from Penn Arts & Sciences graduate students and postdocs to see how AI is reshaping research across Penn's sciences and humanities. Stay for cross-disciplinary conversation and free cookies!

April 6, 2026

Line chart tracking civic space protest article coverage per 1,000 across multiple sources from 2012 to 2026, with peak markers highlighting major spikes around 2014, 2020–2021, and 2026.

New on Data Points: Turning Fast-moving Crises into Structured, Revisitable Evidence

Data Points, DDDI's blog for data science and AI at Penn, features a new post from the chief data scientist at PDRI-DevLab@Penn. The essay explores how to maintain sequence and evidence visibility under polarization, offering an approach for turning fast-moving crises into structured, revisitable context.

March 4, 2026

Workflow for LLM-Assisted Codebook Generation

New on Data Points: A Workflow for LLM-Augmented Codebook Generation

Data Points, DDDI's blog for data science and AI at Penn, features a new post by our data scientist as part of our DSSG project, exploring a workflow for using large language models to assist researchers in moving from raw data to structured codebook documentation.

March 3, 2026

Announcing our Inaugural Class of Undergraduate Data Science Fellows

The Undergraduate Data Science Fellows Program supports Penn undergraduates pursuing theses or independent, faculty-supervised research projects that feature a strong data science component.

October 21, 2025

Apply to be an Undergraduate Data Science Fellow!

The Data Driven Discovery Initiative has just launched the Undergraduate Data Science Fellows Grant Program, which provides financial support, mentorship, and access to resources for students pursuing ambitious, data-driven research.

September 8, 2025

AI x Science Fellowship Featured in Penn Today

A recent Penn Today article on the future of AI research at Penn highlights our AI x Science Postdoctoral Fellowship as a key example of how interdisciplinary collaboration can help drive innovation in the data sciences.

May 20, 2025

Welcome 2025 Data Science Postdoctoral Fellows!

Please join us in welcoming the Data Driven Discovery Initiative’s 2025 cohort of Data Science Postdoctoral Fellows! These scholars bring together deep disciplinary knowledge paired with cutting-edge expertise in data science, and will contribute to a growing interdisciplinary community at Penn.

May 5, 2025

Our Data Science & Analytics Minor has 100 participating students!

The DASA Minor complements any major field of study in the natural and social sciences.

May 5, 2025

Penn Launches University-Wide AI Initiative with Interdisciplinary Panel Event

The University of Pennsylvania officially launched its new Penn AI Initiative with a panel event at the recently opened Amy Gutmann Hall on April 1, 2025. The initiative brings together faculty and researchers from across Penn to explore the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on society.

April 4, 2025

Call for Applications: 2025-2026 Data Science for Social Good Grants

The Data Driven Discovery Initiative is now accepting applications for the 2025-2026 Data Science for Social Good (DSSG) seed grants!

April 4, 2025

Welcome New Postdoctoral Fellows from the Perelman School of Medicine!

The Data Driven Discovery Initiative (DDDI) is excited to announce the expansion of our postdoctoral fellows program to include five new fellows from the Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM)! This expansion brings together postdoctoral researchers working at the intersection of data science, artificial intelligence, and medicine within the Penn community.

March 31, 2025