Data Competitions
Annual Data Challenge
The Texas A&M Institute of Data Science (TAMIDS) hosts an annual, month-long data science competition open to all Texas A&M University undergraduate and graduate students, regardless of major or degree program. Each year, the competition presents a new thematic challenge and awards thousands of dollars in prizes to winning teams.
The Impact
Students who participate in the TAMIDS Annual Data Challenge get a unique opportunity to use real-world data and propose solutions to complex problems, develop their technical and communication skills through data visualizations and presentations, and collaborate with students from other departments or majors.
They are also exposed to faculty and industry professionals who serve as judges throughout the competition. Sponsors like Chevron often give presentations on data science careers, allowing students to ask questions and network. Our judges not only connect with these students but also award the top teams in both undergraduate and graduate divisions with cash prizes. At our 2026 Data Challenge, TAMIDS awarded $9,000 in prize money across the two divisions, with special awards for categories such as “Best Presentation Design” and “Best Use of Additional Data”.
Past Data Challenges
Click the date to view the data challenge summary from that year.