The Data Science for Social Good (DSSG) Program at the University of British Columbia is a summer fellowship program designed to provide an interdisciplinary data science research experience for undergraduate and graduate* UBC students. This program—hosted by the Data Science Institute at UBC—brings together students from diverse backgrounds to work closely with data providers and domain experts on focused, collaborative projects that have the potential to benefit society.
In this 14-week full-time program, selected participants will have the opportunity to develop skills by experiencing the complete process of a data science research project: from data processing, to analysis and modelling, to communication. DSSG Fellows will be divided into teams that will work on research projects submitted by local governments or non-profit organizations. These projects will involve analyzing multiple data sets and have an applied social good component for urban-related topics.
Project teams will work independently with guidance from their project sponsors, and with support from the DSI Scientific Director, DSI data scientists/postdoctoral fellows, and/or industry mentors. DSSG Fellows will receive a stipend for their 14 weeks of full-time work and are expected to participate and present at events involving public and industry stakeholders.
Eligibility & Process
This program is open to full-time UBC students who have successfully completed 75 undergraduate credits, or enrolled in a graduate program at UBC Vancouver campus. While some experience with coding (e.g., Python, R) and/or statistical background is helpful to your application, we welcome applications from students from all backgrounds--including those from the social sciences and the arts.
*Graduate students will require written consent from their thesis supervisor to participate in the DSSG program. Due to the nature of the DSSG Program, applications from students in the Master of Data Science Program will not be considered. Additionally, preference will be given to undergraduate students from any discipline and graduate students from non-STEM fields.
International students are eligible to apply if they will be returning to school full-time in September 2025 and/or hold a valid work permit with expiry date beyond August 2025.
Students graduating in May 2025 are eligible to apply, provided other conditions are met. Due to study/work permit concerns, applications from international students graduating in May 2025 will be considered on a case by case basis.
The DSSG Program is eligible for UBC Science and Arts Co-op credits.
Students must be available full-time during the DSSG Program (mid-May to mid-August). While the students may be able to work remotely for part of the Program, they will be required to attend and participate in the orientation, presentations, workshops, meetings, etc. in-person. Therefore, it is critical that they are able to commute to the UBC Vancouver Campus on a regular basis and on short notice, and not make travel plans without approvals from the DSI Scientific Director and project sponsor(s) during the Program.
To submit an application, please complete the online application form, and make sure to attach unofficial, up-to-date transcript and resume/CV as PDF files.
The application deadline is Friday, January 31, 2025 at 11:45pm.
Short-listed applicants will be invited for interviews from mid-February 2025 and offers will be made shortly thereafter. In order to avoid/minimize any delay in the hiring process, please ensure references are provided in the application.
Adjudication is primarily driven by academic performance and extracurricular activities, but we value a diverse community of learners, and we particularly encourage participation from underrepresented groups—including but not limited to—Indigenous students, students of diverse ethnicity, students with disabilities, and students belonging to the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
The DSSG Fellowship is valued at a rate of $3,200/month for 14 weeks.
For further questions about this program, email dsi.admin@science.ubc.ca.
The DSSG program at UBC was established in 2017 in partnership with the eScience Institute, University of Washington as part of the Cascadia Urban Analytics Cooperative.