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2023 Year in Review

As another great calendar year comes to a close, we take a look back at all of the fantastic accomplishments that took place at Analytics at Wharton (AAW). From a number of exciting in-person events and conferences, new initiatives like AI at Wharton and the Wharton Healthcare Analytics Lab, and a wealth of impactful funded research projects, 2023 proved to be a year of progress and innovation.

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New This Year
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Industry and Academia
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Student Highlights
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Featured Research
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In the News

Cube iconNew This Year

Wharton Healthcare Analytics Lab logoAnnouncing the Wharton Healthcare Analytics Lab

As data algorithms expand and management practices continue to evolve, the need for high-quality healthcare remains. That’s why we’re launching the Wharton Healthcare Analytics Lab (WHAL). WHAL is led by Hamsa Bastani, Marissa King, and Laura Zarrow, and aims to not only uncover new insights gained from academic research but to help apply those insights directly to practice to improve healthcare for all. Read more >>

AI at Wharton logoAnalytics at Wharton Launches AI at Wharton

On August 31, Analytics at Wharton (AAW) was thrilled to announce that the Wharton School’s diverse research and teaching resources in the areas of Artificial Intelligence and smart technologies were being consolidated under the umbrella of a significant new research and teaching initiative, AI at Wharton (AIW). Read more >>

On-Demand LearningExpanding On-Demand Learning for Students

Here at Analytics at Wharton, our Online Modules and Workshops have undergone an exciting expansion, now featuring beginner and advanced AI learning opportunities and a richer catalog of data resources for students. This enhancement is geared towards enriching the online educational experience and providing cutting-edge tools for academic success.
Learn more >>

three human figures iconIndustry and Academia

Women in Data Science @ Penn LogoWomen in Data Science @ Penn Conference

The Wharton School and Penn Engineering were proud to host the fourth annual Women in Data Science (WiDS) @ Penn Conference on February 3, 2023. For the first time since the pandemic, attendees joined us on campus for in-person talks showcasing the latest advances in data science, speaker Q&A sessions, and networking opportunities. A celebrated interdisciplinary event, WiDS @ Penn welcomed academic, industry, and student speakers from across the data science landscape to celebrate its diversity, both in subject matter and personnel. Read more >>

Wharton People Analytics Conference

On March 29, 2023, Wharton People Analytics had the privilege of hosting an exceptional lineup of speakers who are shaping the practice of people analytics, and throughout the conference discussed crucial topics, including DEI, algorithmic bias, employee well-being and mental health, employee activism, and the Digital First future of work. Watch the conference >>

Wharton Business & Generative AI Workshop

On September 8, AI at Wharton faculty, plus researchers, industry professionals, and academics joined together for an engaging workshop that explored the transformative role of generative AI on business models, industries, and global economies. The conference provided for thought leaders to exchange ideas and envision the future possibilities of this nascent technology. Read more >>

2023 Wharton Sports Business Summit

The Wharton Sports Analytics and Business Initiative (WSABI) and Wharton Undergraduate Sports Business Club (WUSBC) were thrilled to host the fifth Wharton Sports Business Summit on campus at the University of Pennsylvania on November 3, 2023. The Summit, which attracted more than 200 registrants, featured a wide range of alumni and sports industry leaders who shared insights and expertise over the course of 15 different sessions. Read more >>

Wharton Neuroscience Summit

On Friday, November 3, 2023, more than 100 attendees joined us at Huntsman Hall on Wharton’s campus for our sold-out Wharton Neuroscience Summit. The day-long event, titled “Brain Capital: The Future of Human Creativity, Well-Being, and Performance,” focused on our population’s collective resource of cognitive, emotional, and social skills, which will be the indispensable driver of the modern knowledge economy. Read more >>

AI Is Here. What’s Going to Change?

The artificial intelligence revolution is officially upon us. Hear from host Eric Bradlow, vice dean of Analytics at Wharton, as he meets with Wharton faculty experts across a wide range of business domains — from health care and neuroscience to sports and the auto industry — to learn how AI will impact these fields moving forward, and what we can do to stay ahead of the curve. Watch series >>

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A Day in the Life of a Student in the Spring 2023 Analytics Accelerator

For the past three semesters, Rishabh Mandayam, M&T’24, has been collaborating with Analytics at Wharton’s corporate partners on the Analytics Accelerator, a six-week project where students wrangle company data and provide actionable business solutions. This spring marked the 10th Analytics Accelerator and saw Mandayam’s student team working alongside Hearst to uncover insights about the company’s readers. Read more >>

AI at Wharton Identifies and Funds Promising AI-related Startups

As part of the Venture Lab Startup Challenge, AI at Wharton helps to identify and fund promising AI-related startups. This year, a panel of judges – ranging from esteemed AI faculty to industry experts – received pitches from a competitive field of student entrepreneurs at the University of Pennsylvania. Read more >>

Wharton Sports Analytics Research Lab

For most students, the transition from spring to summer presents an opportunity to wrap up finals, close their textbooks, and enjoy a relaxing few months before starting back up again. That’s not quite the case for students in the Wharton Sports Analytics Research Lab (WSARL), a new offering from the Wharton Sports Analytics and Business Initiative (WSABI), created for select undergraduates at the University of Pennsylvania. Read more >>

Wharton People Analytics’ 10th Annual Case Competition

This year, Wharton People Analytics partnered with Teach for America (TFA) for the 2023 Case Competition. Student teams from across the globe analyzed real data to help TFA optimize its corps matching process for placement acceptance and successful corps experiences. Finalists were selected in a multi-round process based on the degree to which they demonstrated: methodologically coherent and robust analysis, actionable insights, creativity, and clarity and presentation. Read more >>

MindCORE (Mind Center for Outreach, Research, and Education) Summer Research Program

The Wharton Neuroscience Initiative and AAW sponsored scholarships for four undergraduates in this summer’s MindCORE Summer Fellowship, a 10-week paid program available to both Penn and non-Penn undergraduates. Participants collaborate with mentors on personalized research projects. This year’s recipients include Chase Austin (Howard University), Denise Cortese (University of Puerto Rico), Alphonse Engels (New College of Florida), and Arden Spehar (Vassar College). Explore Denise’s and Arden’s experiences further.
Read more >>

Human head icon with gear insideTrailblazing Research

Wharton Researchers Build Algorithm to Help Fight Sex Trafficking

A pair of Wharton researchers are using machine learning to shine a light on sex trafficking, one of the darkest and most difficult crimes that claims millions of victims a year worldwide. Pia Ramchandani, doctoral candidate in the Department of Operations, Information and Decisions, and her professor, Hamsa Bastani, are developing algorithms to help law enforcement crack the code on covert networks that recruit victims through deceptive online ads. Read more >>

Penn Wrestling Partners with Wharton Neuroscience Initiative to Win Mind Games

The University of Pennsylvania Quakers are learning how to make every minute on the mat count, thanks to a unique collaboration with the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative (WiN). They recently completed a project using patented biometric sensors that captured a wealth of data on the physical and mental performance of the wrestlers as they fatigued. Read more >>

Wharton Professor’s SCEPTRE Tool Helps Link Genetics to Disease Risk

Eugene Katsevich, assistant professor of statistics and data science at the Wharton School, has made significant strides with his team’s innovative software, SCEPTRE. This unique tool, a fusion of statistical and genomic expertise, serves as a free and user-friendly resource for biologists. SCEPTRE enables the identification of correlations between specific genetic variants and disease risk, facilitating the acceleration and enhancement of disease treatment strategies. Read more >>

Wharton Research Helps ACLU Win Fourth Amendment Case

The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas is crediting research from experts at Wharton and Princeton with helping to win its federal court case against the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) over unconstitutional treatment of out-of-state drivers. Read more >>

Traffic monitoring by AI, security system

Italian Basketball Team Pallacanestro Trieste Partners with Wharton for an Analytics-Focused Future

During one of his Wharton Executive MBA classes, former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Connor Barwin learned about the professional Italian basketball team, Pallacanestro Trieste, before purchasing a 90% ownership stake in the team with his investment firm. Now, he’s working with the Wharton Sports Analytics and Business Initiative (WSABI) to uncover the team’s analytics potential. Read more >>

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