Double October events bringing academic research and industry together

Data Analytics, Innovation and the Impact on Business and Society

As part of UCL’s Impact Series, a networking forum, Data Analytics, Innovation and the Impact on Business and Society, was held at the University of London Senate House on the 10^th October.

Co-hosted by the UCL Consumer Data Research Centre (CDRC), in partnership with UCL Innovation & Enterprise and the UCL Bloomsbury and East London Doctoral Training Partnership, there was an impressive line-up of 17 academic and key industry speakers to address around 100 delegates.

A keynote address by the CDRC’s Deputy Director, Dr James Cheshire offered a historical perspective on the use of mapping for organisational decision-making, and presented some of his recent work using consumer data.

There was also a fascinating panel session, chaired by Visiting Professor Matthew Hopkinson, including the managing director of a nightclub chain, a lead strategist from John Lewis & Partners, a site location analyst from Ann Summers, and the Co-founder of Trouva.com.

Demographic Analysts User Group (DUG)

The CDRC also sponsored the 2018 Demographic Analysts User Group (DUG) annual conference at the Royal Society on the 26^th October.

A highlight was a panel session, including former students and industry partners, on the success of the CDRC’s Masters Research Dissertation Programme both in promoting students’ own careers and providing benefits for collaborating business.

Panellists included Dr Anastasia Ushakova a prize-winner while a UCL Masters student, who went on to complete a PhD in UCL Geography based on smart meter energy data, and now has a permanent position at the University of Edinburgh.

The winners of this year’s 2018 Masters Research Dissertation Programme were announced with Lenka Hasova, from the University of Liverpool in partnership with Boots, winning first prize.

In support of the conference’s theme, Analysis of Diversity and the Diversity of Analysis, CDRC’s Director, Professor Paul Longley, also delivered an insightful talk entitled, “What’s in a Name …?”, examining what the analysis of names can tell us about the cultural and ethnic origins and age of individuals.

He also reported on an extensive collaboration with the Office for National Statistics to develop software that can be used to estimate the ethnicity of individuals based on their names. The software is available, free of charge, to registered applicants.

For more information see

• CDRC co-hosts Data Analytics, Innovation and the Impact on Business and Society event at Senate House
• Why academia and business can learn more from each other

See also

• UCL Innovation & Enterprise
• UCL, Bloomsbury and East London Doctoral Training Partnership
• Demographic Analysts User Group (DUG)