2025 IMPS Datathon FAQ

Who is the data donor?

The dataset will be provided by Professor Jelena Obradovic, director of the SPARK Lab in the Stanford Graduate School of Education. Website: https://sparklab.stanford.edu/

Will teams download the data directly from the IRW platform?

Yes, teams can download the data directly from the IRW platform.

Who is eligible to participate?

Any student who is registered for IMPS 2025 is eligible to participate in the Datathon.

When will the Datathon take place?

The current schedule is as follows:

• Until June 6, 2025: Registration period.
• June 9, 2025: Online welcome event. The event will introduce the competition. The dataset will be released to teams at the conclusion of the event.
• June 19, 2025: Team submissions due by 23:59:59 (CDT UTC-5) on June 19, 2025.
• July 4, 2025: Winning teams will be notified.
• July 15-18, 2025: The top teams present at IMPS.

How are teams formed?

Teams consisting of at least two members may be formed by either a university program or coalition of students across universities. To be eligible to compete, each team member must be a registered student at a University or (community) College in the academic year proceeding the conference. Each team is limited to four (4) members, consisting of a single team captain and three (3) additional members. A single individual can register and will be matched with other participants. We will make every effort to form teams with participants in similar time zones.

What if I do not have a team. Can I still participate?

Yes, if you do not have a team you can register as an individual who would like to be matched with other participants. We will make every effort to form teams with participants in similar time zones.

When will individual participants be notified of their team assignment?

For those signed up as individuals, teams will be constructed on a rolling basis with preference placed for teams in similar time zones. Teams will be notified of their team and team leader by July 9, 2025 via email.

How is the winning team selected?

Teams’ initial project submissions are due on June19, 2025 at 23:59:59 CDT UTC-5. A panel of judges will select a group of finalists who will present their work during the IMPS 2025 conference. The judges will select the team with the best presentation. 

Will teams receive help and advice related to working with the dataset?

Dr. Ben Domingue (bdomingu@stanford.edu) and Lijin Zhang (lijinzhang@stanford.edu) will be available on the Stanford side for questions about the data.

Will teams be able to publish their work from the Datathon?

The data donors are interested in collaborating with the winning team. This collaboration could lead to the preparation of a joint paper that could be submitted to Psychometrika as a potential invited contribution. The paper will undergo regular peer review and has no guarantee of acceptance.

What does the winning team get?

The winning team receives $2,500.

Will the event be held in English?

Yes.