Written by Rawad Nahhas

Unlock the power of data through a week of workshops, contests, art, and community.

Tulane University Libraries (TUL) and the Connolly Alexander Institute for Data Science (CAIDS) invite the entire Tulane community to celebrate Love Data Week 2026 from February 4-10. This week-long series of events is designed to inspire, educate, and showcase the incredible data work happening across our campus. From hands-on workshops and social gatherings to a stunning visual gallery and a prestigious contest, there’s something for everyone, regardless of your experience level.

Featured Attraction: The Student Data Visualization Gallery

Kicking off the week, we are proud to host a Student Data Visualization Gallery in the Knowledge Lab on the 2nd floor of Howard-Tilton Memorial Library. We are seeking compelling data visualizations that clearly communicate research findings from any discipline. Selected submissions will be professionally printed and displayed throughout the week.

• Submission Deadline: February 2, 2026.
• Submit Your Work: https://bit.ly/vizcontest26
• View Past Examples: https://bit.ly/sample_viz

Prizes await! The top submissions in the Social Science/Humanities and Sciences & Engineering categories will receive swag bags filled with gifts from TUL and CAIDS. Winners will be announced at our closing ceremony on Friday.

Love Data Week 2026: Daily Schedule

Day 1: Wednesday, February 4

The week begins with collaborative energy and creative displays.

Data Research Internship Datathon (11:00 AM - 1:00 PM)

• Location: Howard-Tilton 430

  Roll up your sleeves and join the CAIDS Data Research Internship program for a collaborative data-entry session on a historical project. All students welcome—just bring a laptop or tablet with a keyboard. Snacks and drinks provided.

  Register: LibCal Link

Data Ambassador Council Game Night (4:00 - 6:00 PM)

• Location: Howard-Tilton 430

  Unwind and connect with the CAIDS student community at a fun-filled evening of data-related games. A perfect mix of education and socializing. Snacks and drinks provided.

  Register: LibCal Link

Gallery Launch: The Data Art Show and Student Data Visualization Gallery officially go on display in the Knowledge Lab.

Day 2: Thursday, February 5

Build skills, explore applications, and see data as art.

Introduction to R Workshop (10:00 - 11:30 AM)

• Location: Howard-Tilton 602 & Zoom

• Presenter: Kay P Maye

  New to R? This workshop will get you started with this powerful tool for data analysis, visualization, and reproducible research. No experience necessary. Snacks provided for in-person attendees.

  Registration Required: LibCal Link

Talk Data to Me: Sports Analytics (12:30 - 1:45 PM)

• Location: Howard-Tilton B17

• Presenters: Greg Matthews & Lisa Dilks

  Enjoy a free lunch and an engaging discussion on the fascinating world of sports analytics. Open to all students and faculty.

  Register: LibCal Link

Introduction to Data Analysis Options on HPC (2:00 - 3:00 PM)

• Location: Zoom Online

• Presenter: Dr. Hideki Fujioka

  High Performance Computing (HPC) such as Tulane's Cypress systems can run tasks as small as a 1/8th of a laptop to 60 laptops combined! In this session, we will showcase data analysis work with R, Python, and Matlab on our Cypress system. 

  Zoom Link

Beyond Data Visualization: Data Art Lecture & Reception (5:00 - 6:30 PM)

• Location: Howard-Tilton 430

• Presenter: Greg Matthews

  Explore how data transcends traditional visualization to become a medium for artistic expression. This lecture will tour the history and key works of data art, followed by a reception with light refreshments.

  Register: LibCal Link

Day 3: Friday, February 6

Dive into the world of text and uncover hidden patterns.
Overview of Research Services for Data (11:00 AM-12:00 PM)

• Location: Zoom Online
• Presenter: Stephen Oglesby, Stephanie Negron, Kaypounyers Maye

In this session, we’ll give you a broad overview of the research technology support and services available to Tulane researchers. Topics include data storage options, research software, and consultation services for specialized needs. 

     Zoom Link

Texting Mining with Voyant Tools Workshop (1:00 - 2:00 PM)

• Location: Howard-Tilton 430 & Zoom

• Presenter: Lisa Dilks

  Interested in analyzing novels, speeches, or historical documents? Learn the basics of text mining with the free, user-friendly Voyant Tools platform. No prior knowledge needed. Snacks and drinks provided.

  Register: LibCal Link

Day 4: Monday, February 9

Connect with peers and tackle advanced analytical techniques.

Event Name: Explore Globus for Research Data Transfer (11:00 AM -12:00 PM)

• Location: Zoom Online

• Presenter: Dr. Carl Baribault

  If you’ve ever needed a smoother way to move your research data, whether it’s small files or large datasets, Globus is here to make your life easier. We’ll show you how Globus is the recommended solution for transferring files seamlessly between Tulane-approved information systems like Box, Qumulo Central Storage, your workstation, and Cypress. You’ll get a first-hand look at how this tool can streamline your workflows and make file migration easier. The session will be friendly and informative, with plenty of time for Q&A.

  Zoom Link

Applied AI Lunch & Learn with Sean Ransom (12:00 - 1:00 PM)

• Location: Howard-Tilton 203 - CELT/ILC Classroom

• Co-sponsor: Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence (CEAI)

  Join us for a special seminar with clinical psychologist Dr. Sean Ransom on the applied uses of AI. Topic details forthcoming.

  Registration Required (Limit 40): LibCal Link

Data Security Basics for Research (2:00 - 3:00 PM)

• Location: Zoom Online

  Get an overview of data security essentials, including basic safeguarding measures like reliable backup and archiving, password management, and device security. We’ll cover how these practices fit into your daily research workflow and protect sensitive information. Walk away with simple yet powerful tips to keep your data safe and compliant.

  Zoom Link

Sentiment and Topic Analysis in Python Workshop (4:00 - 5:30 PM)

• Location: Howard-Tilton 602 & Zoom

• Presenter: Kay P Maye

  Take your Python skills further. This workshop introduces techniques for sentiment and topic analysis, valuable tools for research across many disciplines.

  Registration Required: LibCal Link

Day 5: Tuesday, February 10

Polish your professional profile and celebrate our winners.

Data Security Advanced for Research (2:00 - 3:00 PM)

• Location: Zoom

• Hosted by University IT

  Take a deeper dive into classifying and protecting different types of research data. We’ll explore handling large datasets or federal contract information and help decipher the alphabet soup of compliance acronyms. Leave more prepared to meet advanced data security requirements in your research endeavors.

  Zoom Link

Communicating Your Data Work on LinkedIn and with Pitches (11:00 AM - 12:00 PM)

• Location: Zoom

• Presenter: Jacque Howard

  Learn how to effectively leverage LinkedIn to showcase your data skills and craft a compelling "data pitch" to make a great impression in professional settings.

  Registration required: LibCal Link

From Black Boxes to Biological Insight: Teaching Researchers to Truly Engage with Their Data (4:00 - 5:00)

• Location: CELT-ILC Suite Classroom, HTML, Third Floor

• Presenter: Melody Baddoo

  This talk explores how researchers learn to engage with data, drawing on real-world experiences from a bioinformatics core to examine confidence, pedagogy, and the design choices that shape data understanding.  Presenter Melody Baddoo is Manager at Tulane Cancer Center’s Next Generation Sequence Bioinformatics Core where she provides support for processing and analyzing high-throughput sequenced data. 

  Register: LibCal Link

Data Visualization Contest Award Ceremony & Reception (5:00 - 5:30 PM)

• Location: Howard-Tilton 430

• Presenter: Kay P Maye

  The week culminates in a celebration of our student data artists and researchers! Join us for light refreshments as we announce the winners of the visualization contest and learn more about data services offered by TUL and CAIDS.

  Register: LibCal Link