The 2024 Population Data Science Summer Internship Programme concluded on Thursday 22nd August, with a celebratory showcase hosted in Swansea University’s Data Science Building.
Over the summer, a group of sixteen skilled students worked on a diverse array of research and development initiatives within Population Data Science at Swansea University. The internship provided a chance for students to tackle real-world challenges within a multidisciplinary environment. Participants took on roles spanning research, technical development, methodological, and other areas designed to enhance and expand upon the knowledge and skills they acquire during their studies. This year’s interns addressed a range of impactful topics, from comparing processing pipelines for generating research-ready neuroimaging data to exploring suicidal ideation to attempts, and risk factors associated with the transition.
At the showcase event, each intern gave insightful presentations which demonstrated the wide reach and cross-disciplinary nature of the programme.
Jackie Evans, a member of the SAIL Consumer Panel and Judging Panel said,
“I was inspired by the day as a whole. I appreciated the diversity amongst presenters and presentations.
Such a range of content presented with enthusiasm and professionalism. What was lovely to see was the empathy and care demonstrated by those who were dealing with particularly sensitive issues.
Overall, I was struck by the quality of the work and the obvious respect that the interns had for their mentors.
Professor Ashley Akbari, Population Data Science Summer Internship Programme Director, said,
“The event was a great success and showcased the exceptional interns who are part of our cohort this year, and their project presentations provided an overview of the work they have been delivering over the summer. Their inspirational presentations covered various multidisciplinary areas, including research, development, technical, and methodological themes.
Our internship programme continues to go from strength to strength, with the feedback from our independent judging panel highlighting the high quality and potential impact of the projects completed by our interns, who had a really hard job on the day deciding on the winners of the awards.
Looking ahead to next year, we have ambitious plans to further expand and enhance the programme, and we look forward to applications from those interested in developing their expertise and experiences within Population Data Science at Swansea University.”
This year’s internship programme was supported by ADR Wales (Administrative Data Research Wales), Secure Anonymised Information Linkage Databank (SAIL Databank), Secure eResearch Platform (SeRP), and Dementias Platform UK Data Portal (DPUK Data Portal).
If you’re interested in joining next year’s internship programme, keep an eye out for more details, which will be released in early 2025. Updates will be posted on our website