The Frost Institute for Data Science and Computing (IDSC) cordially invites you to the 3nd annual IDSC Day on Thursday, January 22, 2026, at the University of Miami Lakeside Village EXPO CENTER. Demos, posters, and presentations will showcase the impact IDSC has made on the University of Miami, South Florida community, and beyond.
Registration Link Forthcoming (free)
Thursday 1/22 | 10:00 AM-5:00 PM (includes Lunch + Networking Reception)
This exciting event convenes faculty, staff, students, and industry partners to enable discovery through leading-edge scientific and computational projects that extract hidden knowledge and generate fresh insights from large and complex datasets. At IDSC Day, you can meet our core faculty members and current IDSC Fellows, and discuss their projects, studies, and research interests.
There will be demos, posters, and presentations from grant recipients who will discuss how IDSC support has made them more competitive for Federal funding. Toward the end of the day, we will host a relaxed social event, providing opportunities for conversations, learning, and networking. In a work-from-anywhere world, we recognize the important of the traditional office “water cooler” conversations.
IDSC is pleased to announce the keynote speaker for the third annual IDSC Day: Ishrat Badami
TALK TITLE: Beyond Automation: How Gutenberg to Generative AI Defines Our Ethical Future (or Destiny)?
Keynote Speaker | Ishrat Badami, MS
Ms. Ishrat Badami is a technologist and researcher with over 12 years of experience in applied AI research and product development across multiple domains, including robotics, healthcare, visual effects, advertising, and education technology.
She holds a master’s degree in computer vision and machine learning from the University of Bonn, Germany.
She began her journey working on mobile assistive robotics under a European Union research initiative, followed by developing AI systems for elderly care and fall detection. Ishrat later contributed to the evolution of AI-powered visual effects pipelines and spent several years advancing contextual and creative intelligence in ad tech.
She is now focused on building next-generation learning experiences in education technology at a stealth startup. Passionate about bridging research and real-world applications, Ishrat continues to explore how multimodal AI can reshape storytelling, learning, and human–machine collaboration. Read More
Keynote Speaker | Rocío Joo,
Rocío Joo is a senior data scientist on the research and innovation team at Global Fishing Watch. She oversees the development and improvement of the organization’s fishing and vessel behavioral models, while also leading research efforts on forced labor and coordinating research partnerships in Latin America.
With her scientific background and experience in statistics, programming and movement analysis, Joo contributes to team projects and scientific papers, particularly those related to fishing vessels and seabirds tracking. Her main focus has been on Global Fishing Watch’s forced labor research projects, developing a machine learning algorithm and network models that can help predict and understand a vessel’s risk of forced labor involvement.
Prior to joining Global Fishing Watch, Joo worked in academia, at Instituto del Mar del Perú, Institut Français de Recherche pour l’Exploitation de la Mer, France, and the University of Florida in the U.S., conducting fisheries and movement ecology research.
Joo obtained her bachelor’s degree in statistics engineering at Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería in Peru, a master’s degree in biostatistics and her doctorate in ecosystems at Université de Montpellier, France.
LocationUniversity of Miami Where to ParkComplimentary Reserved Parking is available in the Pavia Garage (see map below) right next to the Lakeside Village (1280 Stanford Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146). Enter on Pavia Street and tell the attendant you’re here for IDSC Day. You must register your vehicle online. Link Forthcoming. You will need to enter your License Plate Number and State, click NEXT. Enter your Name, click Next, then enter this Code: (pending), and click PARK. Parking is valid during the hours of TBA a.m. –TBA p.m. only on Thursday, January 22, 2026. NOTE: Please park head in only.
Agenda TBA |
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Call for Poster and Demo Submissions!
We are excited to invite our faculty, researchers, students, and collaborative data science awardees to submit posters and demos for IDSC Day 2026. The success of this event truly relies on your participation—your innovative research, creative projects, and cutting-edge work are what will make IDSC Day impactful.
Submission Guidelines
- Posters: Share your research, discoveries, or projects through an engaging visual presentation. Max dimensions: 48″’ wide x 36” high or 36″ wide x 48″ high.
- Demos: Showcase your interactive or experimental work with live demonstrations.
- Submission Deadline: Thursday, January 15, 2026 by midnight
- Please Note: IDSC will cover the cost of posters printed in house through the Richter Library Creative Studio. Please email idsc@miami.edu for the account number to give to the Creative Studio attendant.
Submission Form
This event thrives on the diversity and depth of ideas that come from your teams. Your participation is key to making it a dynamic and valuable experience for everyone. For additional information, please email idsc@miami.edu or call 305-243-4962.
About IDSC
IDSC believes in a collaborative approach that brings together talented minds in multiple disciplines and leverages the University’s state-of-the-art technology including an AI-ready supercomputer. In fields ranging from medicine to earth sciences, urban planning, digital humanities, and business, IDSC strives to enhance Data Science understanding among our students and the public, helping individuals of all ages including underrepresented minorities develop the STEM skills needed for professional success in the 21st century.
As a member of the University of Miami’s Frost Institutes of Science and Engineering, IDSC supports basic and applied research initiatives throughout the University and with other leading institutions around the world. We are committed to developing strong partnerships in south Florida, while building bridges to the Caribbean, Latin America, and beyond.
