Tag: Smart Cities / Urban Tech

UnSchool of Data is BetaNYC’s open space unconference for networking, co-creating, and learning. It brings together city residents, technologists, civic leaders, students, advocates, policy nerds, government staff, elected officials, journalists, designers, and more to leverage open data to tackle some of the most pressing issues in NYC and beyond.

It’s a community driven day for turning open data into civic solutions.

UnSchool of Data has these underlying goals:

  1. Convene community members to share civic insights and ideas.
  2. Create processes/projects that people will use for further action.
  3. Foster formal and informal communities of practice and action.

Learn more about UnSchool of Data and how it works at www.schoolofdata.nyc/unschool.

The Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP) at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering will host an evening convening from 4:00–6:00 PM, followed by a light reception from 6:00–7:00 PM. The event brings together students, researchers, public-sector leaders, and community partners to explore how open urban data informs public decision-making in New York City. The program highlights applied work at the intersection of data science, governance, and community outcomes, with a focus on how publicly available datasets are interpreted and translated into policy and practice.

The formal program begins with remarks from CUSP leadership, followed by 10-minute lightning talks from students and community collaborators showcasing projects grounded in NYC Open Data. These presentations demonstrate how datasets related to public safety, housing, health, and civic accountability are analyzed, contextualized, and communicated. The evening continues with a moderated panel discussion led by CUSP’s Debanjan Roychoudhury. Speakers include Alaa Moussawi, Chief Data Scientist for the New York City Council, and Sandhya Kajeepeta, Senior Researcher and Statistician at the Legal Defense Fund’s Thurgood Marshall Institute. The discussion will examine how open data shapes public narratives, informs institutional decision-making, and supports cross-sector collaboration.

A reception will immediately follow the panel, offering space for informal dialogue, networking, and continued cross-sector exchange. The convening is open to participants of all technical backgrounds and emphasizes thoughtful analysis, responsible data use, and real-world application within NYC governance systems.

NYC School of Data is BetaNYC’s community conference that demystifies the policies and practices around open data, technology, and service design. This year’s conference helps conclude NYC Open Data Week and features 40+ sessions organized by NYC’s civic technology, data, and design community! Our conversations and workshops will feed your mind and inspire you to improve your neighborhood.

To attend, you need to purchase tickets. The venue is accessible, and the content is all-ages friendly! If you have accessibility questions or needs, please email the BetaNYC team at [email protected].

Thank you to Reinvent Albany for their support as Lead Partner and helping cover conference costs to make it possible to meet in 2026. Additional sponsors include HaydenAI, School of Visual Arts, and The Center for Urban Science + Progress (CUSP) at NYU Tandon. 

If you can’t join us in person, tune into the main stage live stream provided by the Internet Society New York Chapter. Follow the conversation #NYCSoData on Bluesky.

Purchase your tickets here.