Tech Impact's Data Innovation Lab Launches Fellowship and Celebrates New Space

Eight data scientists join the inaugural Fellowship cohort focused on using data for social good.

The Data Innovation Lab, a division of Tech Impact that accelerates the use of data insights and intelligence to address societal issues, today announces eight data fellows have joined the third Fellowship cohort. The year-long program, funded this year by a $3 million ARPA grant, aims to support Delaware state agencies in leveraging data and technology to develop pandemic relief solutions and better serve the community. Upon completion of the program, the Data Innovation Lab will aim to place Fellows in roles with Delaware-based companies.

To improve collaboration among the Fellows, the Data Lab has moved into a new space at the FinTech Building located at the STAR (Science Technology and Applied Research) Campus at the University of Delaware. The Data Lab will host an Open House on Jan. 23 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the new location, where attendees will have the opportunity to meet the Data Lab team and the Fellows, and become immersed in interactive data experiences.

"We are thrilled to welcome the new cohort of Fellows to the Data Innovation Lab as we continue to grow the program," said Patrick Callihan, CEO of Tech Impact. "While we remain focused on leveraging technology and data to enable Delaware organizations and government entities to make an impact, we hope to scale this program on a national level to further impact communities across the U.S."

The eight Fellows include Dr. Tameca Beckett, Kaitlin Canalichio, Jose Dominguez, Maylene Ferrin, Yüksel Karahan, Yupeng Lei, Evan Miller, and Nile Miller. To learn more about the Fellows, visit the Tech Impact Blog.

The focus of the cohort of Fellows is to support the Data Lab in using data to improve the community. One project focus is a collaboration with The Delaware Academy of Medicine/Delaware Public Health Association as they seek to understand the changing healthcare workforce landscape in Delaware. "With the addition of the Fellows, our team has moved on to the second phase of work for this project. We are focused on understanding the distribution of chronic diseases geographically across Delaware, which is part of the work that will allow us to determine healthcare worker needs," said Ryan Harrington, Director, Strategy & Operations at the Data Innovation Lab.

Other projects include supporting the Delaware Workforce Development Board analyzing the workforce landscape, including future hiring needs, skills gaps, and recruitment mediums. The Data Lab is also exploring state education data using augmented and virtual reality and building products to assist nonprofits with social impact evaluation. 

"We are engaging with various social issues ranging from education and housing to healthcare and safety while thinking critically about their intersectionality. For example, in collaboration with the WRK Group at Reach Riverside, we developed and launched the organization's inaugural social impact reporting interactive dashboard. Identifying the appropriate data to analyze and the necessary tools to develop aids our partners in understanding their community impact and to target interventions or services," said Héctor Maldonado-Reis, Director, Research Development and Analytics at the Data Innovation Lab.

About Tech Impact

Tech Impact is a nonprofit that leverages technology to advance social impact. Our proven workforce training programs and intermediary services prepare our graduates to launch or advance their careers in technology. We strengthen nonprofits through a full spectrum of technological support, giving them the education and services they need to deliver greater impact and help their communities thrive. Learn more at techimpact.org

Source: Tech Impact