Joining MDST

Instructions

Thank you for your interest in joining MDST! We're super excited to get you started on the process for joining the club.

Step 1: Sign up for our mailing list

Our mailing list is going to be the fastest way for us to reach you with the latest information on how to join, mass meetings, and other onboarding events. Fill out the interest form linked below to be added to our mailing list.

Interest Form

Step 2 (Optional): Attend our Mass Meetings

MDST is hosting two mass meetings this year. Join us on January 12, 2025 at 12:00pm or 6:00pm. At these meetings, we will discuss details about our club, what we do, and how to join. You'll also have the opportunity to ask questions you may have about joining.

Take a look at our slides and recording from last semester's mass meeting:

Mass Meeting Slides

Step 3: Complete Tutorial Checkpoints

New members are required to complete two checkpoints giving an introduction to data science and programming in Python. The purpose of these tutorials is to make sure that all of our members, despite their background, are able to equally contribute to MDST projects.

The tutorials for Winter 2025 are now published in the tutorial GitHub repository. The repository contains all the materials and instructions you need to complete the tutorials, as well as information about the support we provide if you have any questions.
Note: Please direct all technical and logistical questions regarding tutorials to our forum for better visibility.

Step 4: Submit Tutorials

As a final step to join the club, you must submit your checkpoints certifying that you've completed the fundamental requirements to join the club.

See our Tutorials Repo for information on completing and submiting the tutorials.

  • If your checkpoints are incomplete, then you will not be allowed to join MDST for that semester. In such circumstance, you may attempt the checkpoints again the next semester and resubmit.

The submission form will be due September 15th, 11:59 PM, after which we will no longer accept sign-ups to join MDST for the Fall 2025 semester.

Step 5: Attend the Project Exploration Fair

Before joining the club, we will host a project exploration fair on Setember 7th, 2025 to share the projects which we will run this semester. You can speak with our project leads and learn first-hand about the type of work being done in each project, what the prerequistes are, and if the project is a good fit for you.

After attending, you will be given access to a form to specify your top 3 project choices, from which we will place you into your preferred project (subject to constraints and appropriate difficulty).

⚠️ You must attend the exploration fair to be placed on a project this semester. If you are unable to attend but would still like to participate in projects, you must email us in advance letting us know, and we will consider your request on a case-by-case basis. If emailing us, please include [EXPLORATION FAIR] in your email title.

MDST Semester Wrap-Up Timeline

  1. Project Lead Application Deadline Project Lead Application Form

    Open to members who have completed at least one semester in MDST.

  2. MDST Final Project Expo RSVP Here

    Teams showcase their semester-long projects to the MDST community.

  3. Committee Applications

    MDST committees work behind the scenes to organize events, manage club operations, lead community engagement, and help the organization run smoothly.

FAQ

Are there any requirements to join?

No! We welcome all University of Michigan students, regardless of academic level or major.

I have no data science experience. Can I join?

Yes! Everyone is welcome to join the team! In fact, most of our members have very little data science experience prior to joining. Our goal is to help you learn the data skills necessary to contribute to our projects and perform data science on your own. We do strongly recommend newcomers attend our introductory tutorials, as they will teach you the basics of the tools we use and are also a great opportunity to meet others in the same boat!

During onboarding, are the new member mass meeting/live tutorial/office hours mandatory?

No, they are not.

When is the regular meeting time of MDST?

We meet on all Sundays (except for holidays) from 12-3 for a mandatory work session. You are permitted to miss a few of these but we unfortunately cannot accept you if you have a hard conflict.

We also meet on Thursdays from 6-7 for optional social and professional events such as guest speakers and networking sessions.

For a detailed schedule, please see our events calendar.

Will I be able to choose which project team I am on?

Yes! After you join the club, you will be asked to rank your top 5 projects after talking with project leaders. Historically, 90+% of people are placed into one of their top two preferences.

How much time commitment do you require?

Most MDST members spend 3 hours weekly for work sessions + 1 hour for socials on Thursday, totaling about 4 hours per week. This may vary based on the project and level of familiarity with data science.

Does MDST allow for remote participation?

MDST is primarily an in-person club, and all of our events and work sessions are held in-person on campus. We allow remote participation for our projects, but not for our other events. We recommend attending our meetings in-person whenever possible to maximize your experience with the club.

What languages do you use?

We primarily use Python for our projects. If you are an R user, we recommend checking out some helpful tutorials from DataCamp.

I am not a student at the University of Michigan. Can I join?

No. We only accept Umich students.