The Data Sciences Institute (DSI) at the University of Toronto is a hub and incubator for data science research, training, and partnerships. Data Sciences is defined as the science of collecting, manipulating, storing, visualizing, learning from, and extracting useful information from data in a reproducible, fair and ethical way. In 2021 the University of Toronto launched the DSI to unify data sciences research across the University, its affiliated research institutes, and external partners.  The DSI leverages the University’s leadership and expertise in the foundational and emergent fields of data sciences. Our programming and initiatives are designed to facilitate collaboration, as well as the development and application of new data science methodologies and tools in a training-focused environment.

Mission

Our goal is to accelerate the impact of data sciences across disciplines to address pressing societal questions and drive positive social change.

Strategic Objectives

We focus on the following strategic objectives to towards our mission.

1. Shape the evolution of the field of data science including the development of novel methodologies
2. Catalyze opportunities for convergence of knowledge domains and equitable data science solutions
3. Cultivate inclusive skills for success in data science
4. Foster and catalyze knowledge mobilization to advance the public good
5. Explore and define optimal strategies, approaches and structures to realize objectives and achieve sustainability

Core to our mission are two research themes:

Inequity

Inequities can arise from almost any aspect of society, including climate change, the implementation of machine learning, mobile technologies and genomics in health care and daily life, the design and spatial configuration of cities, as well as social and economic policy.  Consider, for example, the COVID-19 pandemic that profoundly and disproportionately affected marginalized communities and unveiled social, economic, health and political inequalities. This disproportionate impact led to reactive policy decisions based on limited evidence. Drawing on the disciplinary strength inequity studies at U of T and recognizing that data-based technologies can potentially increase inequities, this theme encourages the generation of evidence (data and inference) and tools that enhance our understanding of inequity while supporting equitable social change.

Reproducibility

Robust and reproducible processes are critical to maintaining confidence in the research enterprise and ensuring the generation of reliable results upon which science builds. The use of large-scale, complex data across disciplines brought this challenge to the forefront, with the generation of reproducibility standards for research being, itself, a foundation of data science. Reproducibility focuses on the development of widely adoptable methodology, processes, and infrastructure to share data and code locally and in privacy-compliant ways, and the development of infrastructure, methods and models that support reproducible and reliable research. Standards for open, reproducible research must be clearly articulated and broadly integrated into  research activities. Reproducibility requires standards such as reproducible pipelines for processing, cleaning, and sharing of data and code, and best practice application of analytic procedures.

EDI Statement

The DSI seeks to catalyse and support research at the vanguard of data science. By promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion in both our membership and the research questions, methods, and approaches of our members’ work, the DSI will advance robust and inclusive excellence in data science research and training. The following two principles therefore underpin the DSI’s approaches to EDI:

1. The DSI emphasizes the interdependence between research excellence and equity, diversity, and inclusion.
2. The DSI is committed to and accountable for the nurturing of a research community and methodologies that recognize, support, and incorporate a multiplicity of intersectional identities.

The DSI reflects these principles in each aspect of our strategic plan, our governance structure, and our metrics of success.

Code of Conduct

The DSI Community is committed to a safe, inclusive and welcoming space for all. This includes:

• physical co-working and event space, where we congregate, network, learn, and build our research projects and training initiatives, and
• the virtual environments we create to support one another, inspire research activity and training, mentor and be mentored, and grow as people and partner organizations.

The DSI Community supports the principles of equity, inclusion, and diversity where participants, partners, and collaborators of all backgrounds, lived experiences, identities, and walks of life feel welcome, supported, and respected. We are committed to nurturing a sense of community where a difference of opinion and perspective that embodies mutual respect, collaboration, and professionalism is encouraged. We are unwavering in our commitment to maintaining an environment for all members of the DSI community to participate fully and thrive. We will not tolerate behaviour or conduct that compromises the respectful and inclusive nature of our community and programming, including but not limited to:

• verbal threats or physical violence,
• speech or behaviour that is deemed xenophobic, sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, or otherwise discriminatory or offensive in nature, or
• intimidation or harassment online or in-person.

There is a zero-tolerance policy and the DSI reserves the right to revoke privileges and access to all DSI Community space, programming, events, and resources for anyone who violates the guidelines and principles in this Code of Conduct.

Members and Volunteers

The DSI Community is supported by engaged and passionate individuals who participate as members and give back as volunteers in roles including mentor, advisor, speaker, etc. We are grateful for their time and expertise, which adds insight and value to our activities. It is expected that any member or volunteer engaging with the DSI Community agrees to abide by the Code of Conduct and furthermore, understands, acknowledges, and agrees in writing to the following terms:

• Will declare any actual or potential conflict of interest that you may have to the DSI Director of Operations and Strategy or relevant DSI lead.
• Will abide by University of Toronto Policies and Procedures including, but not limited to: Sexual Harassment, Statement on Equity, Diversity, and Excellence, Statement on Human Rights, and Statement on Prohibited Discrimination and Discriminatory Harassment as applicable to you in your role. Specific policies can be found on the Human Resources and Equity website here.

The DSI reserves the right to uphold these policies and commitments and remove any member or volunteer found not adhering to the Code of Conduct from participating in the DSI Community. Disclaimer: Please note that the DSI and the University of Toronto do not in any way screen those voluntarily participating in community activities, nor do they inquire into the backgrounds of the participants or attempt to verify the statements of the participants.