Data Science for the Public Good Young Scholars Program | Iowa State University Extension and Outreach

Data Science
for the Public Good

Apply Data Science to Critical Community Issues

The Data Science for the Public Good (DSPG) Young Scholars Program is an immersive summer program that engages students from across Iowa to work together on projects that address local and state government challenges around critical social issues relevant in the world today.

DSPG resident scholars conduct research at the intersection of statistics, computation, and the social sciences to determine how information generated within every community can be leveraged to improve quality of life and inform public policy.

Learn more about DSPG

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Community Project Applications

We are seeking future project proposals!

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DSPG Student Applications

Check back for opening of applications!

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Recent Projects

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Using AI to make up-to-date housing data available and easily accessible to help communities make well-informed decisions

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Creating the Iowa Zoning Guide, an interactive mapping effort to display housing-related zoning regulations for 327 Iowa cities

Exploring the relationship between community capital indicators and the overall condition of Iowa communities

View More Projects

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Watch our Latest Project Presentations

The final presentations for the 2025 Iowa State University Data Science for the Public Good (DSPG) program took place July 23 at ISU's Student Innovation Center.

Watch the presentations here

A Coalition for the Public Good

This program was initially (2020 - 2021) led by a coalition of five land-grant universities in three states: Oregon State University, Iowa State University, Virginia Tech, University of Virginia, and Virginia State University. Funded in part by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), the DSPG program addresses the USDA’s Research, Education, and Economics Action Plan and NIFA’s research, education and extension goals for training, workforce development, and evidence-based decision-making. These efforts support our shared goal of promoting rural prosperity.

Following COVID-19 restrictions from the summers of 2020 to 2022, Iowa State’s Data Science for the Public Good Young Scholars program was provided through virtual instruction. Starting in 2022, the program was managed by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and funding is sourced from the fees charged for each project. As of 2023, students must be in Ames to participate, but the program is hybrid with some days in person, in the field, or online.