Urban Data Science Showcase Featuring Noel Hidalgo on "A 'Brief' History of Civic Hacking"

The Center for Urban Science + Progress (CUSP) at New York University Tandon School of Engineering is excited to host the Urban Data Science Showcase, highlighting the exceptional work of graduating students from the M.S. in Urban Data Science program and featuring a keynote lecture by Noel Hidalgo on "A 'Brief' History of Civic Hacking."

All events will take place at 370 Jay St, Brooklyn, NY 11201. Please refer to the NYU Brooklyn campus map for directions.

Schedule
11:00 AM — Poster Showcase Opens
Location: 370 Jay St. Room 233 (Co-Lab)
All guests are invited to enjoy refreshments and light bites while engaging with CUSP students in front of their poster displays.

2:00 PM - 2:10 PM — Introductory Remarks
Location: 370 Jay St. Room 202
Opening remarks from Industry Assistant Professor Anton Rozhkov, Director of the M.S. in Urban Data Science Program at CUSP.

2:10 - 3:00 PM — Keynote Speaker Noel Hidalgo: A "Brief" History of Civic Hacking
Noel Hidalgo, BetaNYC's Executive Director, will give us a historical view of civic hacking in New York City. He will take us back to pre-Columbian times and ground our work in data and information from a social history perspective. All things are interconnected, and in this conversation, we will get a brief view of how our work has the potential to transform the universe.

3:00 PM - 3:30 PM — Presentation of Capstone Awards
CUSP Capstone Team will provide an overview of the 2025-2026 Capstone Projects and present awards to outstanding student teams.

3:30 PM - 6:00 PM — Poster Showcase
All guests are invited to enjoy refreshments and light bites while engaging with CUSP students in front of their poster displays. A celebratory toast to the Class of 2026 students will take place at 5:00 PM.

About the CUSP Capstone
The Capstone Project is a cornerstone of the M.S. in Urban Data Science program, allowing students to apply advanced skills in AI, machine learning, and data science from their first year to address real-world urban challenges. Spanning the second-year required Urban Science Intensive I and II courses, the Capstone Project enables students to collaborate directly with a sponsoring company, government agency, nonprofit, or academic institution. This hands-on experience enhances both academic and professional development, ensuring a smooth transition into a successful career after graduation. Since 2013, CUSP has guided nearly 200 capstone projects, collaborating with 29 government agencies, 23 nonprofits and think tanks, and 21 private companies worldwide. Explore the CUSP website to learn more about the capstone program and browse the capstone directory.

About the Keynote Speaker

Noel Hidalgo (he/him) stands at the crossroads of technology, government, community, and impact. He believes in participatory communities and uses technology to improve people’s lives. His work has been achieved through patience and the effective organization of problem-solving teams. Mr. Hidalgo is known as an effective organizer who can walk between worlds.
Since 2009, he has organized BetaNYC to be a driving force for improving New York City’s use of technology and sharing its data. BetaNYC has advocated for a suite of government transparency laws, including the city’s transformative open data law and the city record online law. BetaNYC runs the New York City Civic Innovation Lab/Fellows program, in partnership with the Manhattan Borough President, and curates the NYC School of Data community conference.