Building a Culture of Applied Research: The DS@GT ARC Story

Abstract

The Data Science at Georgia Tech: Applied Research & Competitions (DS@GT ARC) is a student-run research initiative focused on machine learning and information retrieval through competitive research challenges. What started as a small team of two OMSCS students has now grown into a vibrant community of over 45 active members (undergraduate, graduate, and online students) who have collectively produced 33 peer-reviewed papers. Our mission is to make applied research accessible, collaborative, and impactful. This talk will be organized into three main parts: past, present, and future.

• Past: I'll share how the group started, our early challenges, and how we built a sustainable framework for student-led research.
• Present: I'll highlight our growth, accomplishments, participation in research competitions, and how we've scaled in a fully online setting.
• Future: I'll discuss upcoming initiatives, including the launch of a new course—CS 8903: Applied Research & Competitions—offered in Spring 2026. This course will guide students through the entire applied research lifecycle, from forming teams and developing ML systems to writing and submitting working-note papers for the CLEF 2026 conference.

Attendees will learn how the OMSCS and on-campus communities can collaborate to make research more inclusive and scalable. The DS@GT ARC group addresses a long-standing challenge in online education: while many students want to engage in research, they often lack the structure and mentorship to start, and faculty have limited time and resources to support. ARC bridges this gap by providing guidance, accountability, and a collaborative environment where motivated students thrive.