At ASU Library, the Unit for Data Science and Analytics supports students, faculty and staff as they explore data in meaningful, ethical and practical ways. We believe data-informed thinking belongs across all disciplines and experience levels, and during International Love Data Week this year, we want to highlight upcoming events that showcase all the ways our Unit strives to make learning with data approachable, collaborative and empowering.
Spotlight: SpaceHACK for Sustainability
SpaceHACK 2026 will take place March 27–28, 2026, at the ASU Library. Now entering its fourth year, SpaceHACK for Sustainability has grown into a truly global, high-energy hackathon that brings together students, researchers, and practitioners to tackle real-world sustainability challenges using space-based and open data.
SpaceHACK is where interdisciplinary teams collaborate, experiment and build data-informed solutions in a supportive, hands-on environment. SpaceHACK is powered by an incredible network of international partners: Ecuador (ESPOL and UEES), CY Cergy Paris Université (France), Bulgaria, and Puerto Rico, along with local partners at ASU, including W. P. Carey School of Business in collaboration with MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company (USA) Inc. This unique mix of academic, global and industry perspectives makes SpaceHACK a one-of-a-kind learning experience, allowing participants to join without prior experience and bringing only curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to learn alongside others.
SpaceHACK 2026 tracks
Participants will choose from three challenge tracks, each focused on a critical sustainability issue:
- From Port to Planet: Tracking the Net-Zero Supply Chain: Decarbonizing global trade takes more than cleaner ships. This track explores how satellite data and integrated dashboards can connect maritime, ports, trucking, and aviation to make green corridors measurable, credible, and scalable.
- Nature’s Flood Wall: Mangroves and Coastal Cities: Mangroves can buffer tides, rainfall, and runoff, yet their role in urban flood management is often overlooked. This track uses satellite data to map, monitor, and strengthen mangrove-based protection around Greater Guayaquil.
- Truth from Orbit: Climate Change and the Alpine Information Battle: From retreating glaciers to changing snow cover, the Alps offer visible proof of climate change. This track explores how satellite data can be used by journalists to verify claims, counter misinformation, and inform public debate about the region’s future.
Registration for SpaceHACK 2026 opens in February (TBA)
Be sure to check the Unit for Data Science and Analytics website for registration details and updates. You can watch highlights from SpaceHACK 2025 to see how teams collaborated across borders, turned data into insight, and built solutions with impact.
Whether you are interested in sustainability, climate science, social impact, logistics, or data storytelling, SpaceHACK offers a collaborative space to learn, contribute, and make a difference.
Open Lab during Love Data Week: AI Engineering
During Love Data Week, there will be an Open Lab on AI Engineering: Building Applications with Foundation Models, held on February 11 at 10:00 a.m. (Register Online).
This open lab introduces AI engineering as an emerging practice focused on building applications with foundation models rather than training machine learning models from scratch. Participants will explore how techniques such as prompt engineering, retrieval-augmented generation, agents, and fine-tuning are used in practice, along with key considerations like cost, latency, scalability, and system design.
Get involved
As a library-based unit, the Unit for Data Science and Analytics offers many ways to engage, including Open Labs, learning resources, Volunteer Open Projects, and events like SpaceHACK. We invite you to explore what’s available and discover how data can support your learning, research, and curiosity.
To learn more or ask questions, visit the Unit for Data Science and Analytics website or contact us at [email protected].
- Written by Kerri Rittschof, Director, Data Science and Analytics