Data Science Institute

We aim to set the global standard for a truly interdisciplinary approach to contemporary data-driven research challenges. Established in 2015, the Data Science Institute (DSI) has over 300 members and has raised £50 million in research grants.

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10-year anniversary of DSI – “Decade of Data Science”

In 2025, the Data Science Institute (DSI) at Lancaster University proudly marks its 10th anniversary. Since its founding in 2015, the DSI has established itself as a leading hub for cutting-edge research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and real-world impact in data science and artificial intelligence. Over the past decade, our researchers and partners have tackled some of the most pressing challenges in society, science, and industry—advancing the foundations of data science, fostering ethical and trustworthy AI, driving innovation across sectors and training 100s of data science practitioners.

As we celebrate this milestone, we reflect on the achievements of our vibrant research community and the transformative projects that have shaped the field. Looking ahead, the DSI remains committed to pushing the boundaries of data science and AI research, strengthening global collaborations, and supporting the next generation of data scientists.

About us

We are working to create a world-class Data Science Institute at Lancaster (DSI@Lancaster) that sets the global standard for a truly interdisciplinary approach to contemporary data-driven research challenges. DSI@Lancaster aims to have an internationally recognised and distinctive strength in being able to provide an end-to-end interdisciplinary research capability - from infrastructure and fundamentals through to globally relevant problem domains and the social, legal and ethical issues raised by the use of Data Science.

The Institute is initially focusing on the fundamentals of Data Science including security and privacy together with cross-cutting theme areas consisting of environment, resilience and sustainability;health and ageing, data and society and creating a world-leading institute with over 300 affiliated academics, researchers, and students.

Our data science, health data science and business analytics programmes have launched the careers of hundreds of data professionals over the last 10 years. Students from our programmes have progressed to data science roles at Amazon, PWC, Ernst & Young, Hawaiian Airlines, eBay, Zurich Insurance, the Co-operative Group, N Brown, the NHS and many others - please look at our Education pages for further details of the courses on offer.

Decade of Data motif

Latest News

Call for EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Award (DLA) PhD Studentship Proposals

Deadline for submission: 17:00 (BST), 25th August 2025

Lancaster University has received an EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Award (DLA) allocation for 2025–2027. This internal call invites DSI-affiliated academics to submit concise, high-quality project proposals to recruit outstanding doctoral candidates for an October 2025 (or later) start.

The overarching aims of this call are to:

  • Ensure projects are clearly within the EPSRC remit.
  • Maximise the collaborative element expected by the DLA (defined as a cash and/or in‑kind contribution from at least one non-academic partner who is actively involved in the project).
  • Champion cross-disciplinary research in line with the DSI mission; such proposals will be prioritised in the internal selection process.

Please see the document for the full conditions of this call. DSI EPSRC Proposals

Deadline for submission: 17:00 (BST), 25th August 2025
Maximum length: 3 pages (see Section 5 for format rules)

Contact for queries: dsi@lancaster.ac.uk

New Health Theme Lead announcement

Professor Neil Reeves has been appointed Health Theme Lead in the Data Science Institute. Neil brings internationally recognised expertise in secure digital health technologies and diabetes, a track record of ~180 publications and major EPSRC, NIH (USA) and Diabetes UK funding. Serving on EPSRC’s Healthcare Technologies Strategic Advisory Team (to March 2028) and the BSI medical devices committee, he will drive interdisciplinary collaboration, secure use of large health datasets (including NHS secure data environments), and capacity-building across the University’s health data science portfolio.

We warmly thank Professor Heather Brown for her impactful leadership of the Health Theme since September 2022. Heather as the theme lead for health has been a champion for cross-faculty working. Helping to build collaborations between FASS and FHM demonstrated by an ADR fellowship for an ECR based in sociology, successful funding applications to the NIHR with LEC and supporting a number of workshops.

Data Dialogues - Autumn 2025

We would like your suggestions for speakers for Autumn 2025 - please get in touch if you would like to present or have a nomination to make!

Data Dialogues is an informal, discussion-driven event where members of the DSI and the broader university community share insights into their work, spark interdisciplinary conversations and explore potential collaborations. The focus is on interactive engagement rather than formal presentations—so no slides (or just a few, if needed)! Instead, the idea is to introduce your work in an accessible way, followed by an open discussion and Q&A with attendees.

Get fresh perspectives and think about new ways of approaching your own research, meet new people and explore potential research collaborations. Come be part of the DSI community!

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New Workshop Page

We have a new current workshop page - please do take a look - full information on these workshops and sign up opportunities can be found.

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Events

Research Themes

Data Science at Lancaster was founded in 2015 on Lancaster’s historic research strengths in Computer Science, Statistics and Operational Research. The environment is further enriched by a broad community of data-driven researchers in a variety of other disciplines including the environmental sciences, health and medicine, sociology and the creative arts.

  • Foundations

    Foundations research sits at the interface of methods and application: with an aim to develop novel methodology inspired by the real-world challenge. These could be studies about the transportation of people, goods & services, energy consumption and the impact of changes to global weather patterns.

  • Health

    The Health theme has a wide scope. Current areas of strength include spatial and spatiotemporal methods in global public health, design and analysis of clinical trials, epidemic forecasting and demographic modelling, health informatics and genetics.

  • Society

    Data Science has brought new approaches to understanding long-standing social problems concerning energy use, climate change, crime, migration, the knowledge economy, ecologies of media, design and communication in everyday life, or the distribution of wealth in financialised economies.

  • Environment

    The focus of the environment theme has been to seek methodological innovations that can transform our understanding and management of the natural environment. Data Science will help us understand how the environment has evolved to its current state and how it might change in the future.

  • Data Engineering

    The Data Engineering theme aims to explore how we can utilise digital technologies to accelerate and enhance our research processes across the University.

Research Software Engineering

Within the Data Science Institute, our aim is to improve the reproducibility and replicability of research by improving the reusability, sustainability and quality of research software developed across the University. We are currently funded by the N8CIR, and work closely with our partner institutions across N8 Research.

Research Software Engineering

Upcoming Events

28th Jul

Language, Speech, and AI: A Forensics Summer School - SOLD OUT

Monday 28 July 2025, 12:00pm to Wednesday 30 July 2025, 1:30pm

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Data Science Institute

Data Science Institute - New Health Theme Lead

The Data Science Institute is delighted to announce a new appointment to the role of Health Theme Lead.
Man on laptop with bank card

Interactive games can boost online fraud awareness

A study by Lancaster University computing researchers found that a role-playing quiz game can boost adults’ awareness and safe behaviours against online shopping fraud, outperforming traditional quizzes and offering an engaging, practical learning experience.
Nick Miles and Professor Sarah Kemp

Lancashire Cyber Festival highlights North West’s opportunity to build a world-leading cyber ecosystem

More than 200 senior business leaders, investors, policymakers, and academics from across the UK gathered this week at the Lancashire Cyber Festival hosted at Lancaster University. 
Man on laptop with bank card

Interactive games can boost online fraud awareness

A study by Lancaster University computing researchers found that a role-playing quiz game can boost adults’ awareness and safe behaviours against online shopping fraud, outperforming traditional quizzes and offering an engaging, practical learning experience.
Images of pupils at computers playing cyber games and activities

Breaking barriers and building futures: Lancaster University inspires next generation of cyber experts

Over 50 school pupils from schools across Lancashire stepped onto Lancaster University’s campus for a deep dive into the world of cyber security. It was a day of practical hands-on activities designed to spark a passion for the skills and traits required in cyber roles and inspire pupils toward future careers in the field.

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