Data science is growing tremendously these years, and since DDSA was spawned four years ago, we have made our mark shaping the discipline, the culture and collaboration making Denmark an attractive location. We intend to keep growing and fostering data science many years ahead.
DDSA has earned credit by funding excellent research conducted by almost 50 young researchers in the PhD and postdoc fellowship program and for the community of data science professionals the events are quality marked when receiving DDSA funding.
The most difficult task we manage is unifying across the domains that contribute to the data science area. Data science professionals meet to explore possible research spaces and welcome those who are approaching data science from other domains. This is possible due to our funders Novo Nordisk Foundation and Villum Foundation who acknowledge the interdisciplinarity as a basic condition for data science to flourish.
Community – offering a vibrant location in Denmark
As a young discipline in rapid development, DDSA has a mission: People working within the data sciences need to meet with each other and discuss aspects forming the discipline. More than 3000 professionals attend DDSA funded events every year. Such meetings build bridges between the executing professionals in the private sector and the public administration over to the investigative professionals in academia and research environments.
“Data science is of strategic importance to Europe’s competitiveness and a thriving ecosystem from excellence in research to competitive products is crucial to succeed. Danish Data Science Academy importantly promotes scientific excellence in Denmark as well as serving the broader data science community”
– Morten Bache, Scientific Director, Novo Nordisk Foundation
Creating a vibrant environment where the coolest thing is to work with data science in Denmark continues to be high on the DDSA’s agenda in the coming years.
Fellowship – excellence in a fast-paced field
To grow a discipline, we need excellent talents to research greenfield areas and educate future generations. DDSA has from the start offered a model with fully funded fellowships for PhDs and postdocs, where applicants come with their own ideas to research projects, and we provide a transparent and thorough process by the Fellowship Evaluation Committee (FEC). We are pleased that such model will be adopted by DARA, the new PhD academy hosting several scientific disciplines, so even more researchers get this unique opportunity in Denmark. Both in data science and other interdisciplinary areas.
The PhD fellowships within data science will be granted by DDSA in 2025 and 2026 while the new academy DARA will grant the data science PhD fellowships the following three years 2027, 2028 and 2029.
DDSA – formed by professionals
By design DDSA is a bottom-up organisation where those who know the field have a great influence on the activities. DDSA is not a secretariat that mediates fellowships, we are an organization of more than 70 professionals who want to develop and grow data science as an exquisite and recognized professional discipline in Denmark and make it a safe and fun place to be a practitioner in data science.
Our young academy panel (YAP) creates growth for talents with events such as Ask me Anything and career development through the DDSA mentoring program. Our committee for education and network (ENC) ensures that both summer schools for young researchers, workshops for established professionals and series for those who are curious about the field have the means to develop data science in tempo and format tailored to the participants.
At the annual D3A conference, a plethora of current research topics are presented, and the conference connects people through safe conversation spaces. The conference is a great example of the partnerships DDSA engage in, producing the event with two other major flagships in Denmark, the Pioneer Centre for AI and the digital research centre DIREC.
Coming years for DDSA
Reflecting on the past and the presence, we have come far in short time bringing value in short term as well as laying the foundation for long term growth. It is time to lay the tracks for coming years. That’s why DDSA continues to support the growth of individual talent, offer and support community and educational events, and speak up about what data science is and initiate the conversations required in such a fast-evolving field – together with our partners and on behalf of the community.