Event Details
WiDS PSU Datathon 2026 – Predicting Wildfire Impact: From Infrastructure to Equity.
WiDS PSU Datathon 2026
Prince Sultan University is hosting the Women in Data Science (WiDS) Datathon 2026 as part of the global WiDS initiative. This year’s challenge theme is “Predicting Wildfire Impact: From Infrastructure to Equity”. Participants will work on data-driven and AI-based approaches to better understand wildfire impact, with attention to infrastructure-related effects and community-level equity considerations.
Why This Matters
- Wildfires can disrupt infrastructure and essential services.
- Data science can help forecast impact and support better preparedness.
- Equity-focused analysis helps understand community-level vulnerability.
- Hands-on learning with expert-led workshops and real-world datasets.
Workshops Schedule
Datathon Orientation and Q&A
Presented by Prof. Tanzila Saba, Dr. Anees Ara, and Dr. Fatima Shannaq.
Workshop 1: Geospatial DS + Data Wrangling
Presented by Dr. Sawsan Halawani.
Workshop 2: ML for Wildfire Impact Prediction
Presented by Dr. Fatima Shannaq.
Workshop 3: Light MLOps + Deployment
Presented by Dr. Abrar Wafa.
Workshop 4: Success Stories
Presented by Ms. Reem Hejazi and Ms. Elham Al-Baroudi.
Competition Timeline
Registration Deadline
Jan 21, 2026
Workshops Period
Jan 29 – Mar 8, 2026
Winners & Recognition
Cash prizes and recognition at Stanford University Worldwide WiDS and PSU WiDS (details to be announced).
Technical Specifications
Tools
- Python (primary language)
- Pandas / NumPy
- Scikit-learn / XGBoost (optional)
- GeoPandas / GIS tools (for geospatial work, when applicable)
- Matplotlib / Seaborn (visualization)
Dataset
WiDS Datathon 2026 dataset provided through the official Kaggle competition page, aligned with the theme “Predicting Wildfire Impact: From Infrastructure to Equity.”
Challenge
Build predictive models and insights to better understand wildfire impact,
considering infrastructure outcomes and equity-related community effects.
Prediction / Modeling Task
Event Gallery
WiDS Ambassadors
Prof. Tanzila Saba
PSU WiDS Ambassador
AIDA Lab Leader
tsaba@psu.edu.sa
+966 11 494 8655
Ms. Fatima Khan
PSU WiDS Ambassador
Manager, Digital Academy
fkhan@psu.edu.sa
+966 11 494 8145
Committee Members
AIDA Lab Team