July newsletter in brief

Welcome, 

Smart Data Research UK aims to unlock the power of new forms of data for research and innovation that solve social and economic challenges. Over the past six weeks, our team has started several projects that will help make our vision a reality.

Public dialogue: We are excited to be launching a series of events seeking people’s views on the use of smart data for research, partnering with public engagement experts Sciencewise . We are collaborating with consultants Thinks Insight & Strategy , who will facilitate discussions with a diverse range of members of the public, with sessions taking place in Belfast, Gateshead, Inverness, London and Newport. The results will shape Smart Data Research UK’s approach to safeguarding public trust. You can read my blog about this work on the Sciencewise website. 

New Google Health webinar: Smart Data Research UK is co-hosting a one-hour lunchtime webinar with Google Health on 25 July 2024 on ‘Using internet search data to improve health research’. Do sign up for the event! All the details are on the Smart Data Research UK website. 

Data for Policy: This week, Smart Data Research UK and The Alan Turing Institute 's Urban Analytics Programme co-sponsored an event at Data for Policy 2024. The panel was entitled 'Better Together? How Smart Data and Public Data Can Co-Exist and Thrive'. Thanks to Rachel Franklin , our Strategic Advice Team lead, who gathered a fantastic group of panelists and expertly chaired the session. 

Data diving: Last month our Strategic Advice Team held a digital data dive in Glasgow in collaboration with the Urban Big Data Centre . Teams brainstormed new approaches and analyses to a range of smart data on the housing market, public transport and human mobility. This was the second in a series of data dives, with more planned for Autumn 2024. Enjoy the write-up here.

Smart data research for public good: The Smart Data Research UK hub has initiated two projects to stimulate smart data impact for public good. The Smart Data for Mobility project is exploring how smart data can advance smart transportation, starting with improving the rollout of public EV charge points. The Smart Data for Food Systems project will scope the utility of smart data for supporting the UK food system. It will address consumption challenges, including health inequalities and supply chain optimization. We’ll be saying more about these projects in due course, but please do get in touch if you’d like to know more at smartdataresearch@ukri.org. 

Thanks for being a part of our community! 

Joe Cuddeford , Director, Smart Data Research UK 

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