On December 10, 2024, the NYC Pandemic Response Institute (PRI) hosted its second Data Expo, convening stakeholders from government, academia, the business, and community organizations to reflect on and brainstorm solutions to enhance data-sharing practices, integrate non-traditional data into public health responses, and develop cross-sector partnerships that strengthen crisis preparedness and response capabilities. The event, titled “Leveraging Diverse Data Sources for Crisis Preparedness & Response,” was held at The Forum at Columbia University and spotlighted the critical role of traditional and non-traditional data sources in bolstering public health emergency preparedness.
The half-day event kicked off with opening remarks from PRI Lead, Dean Ayman El-Mohandes and PRI Director, Mitch Stripling, emphasizing the urgent need for cross-sector collaboration in addressing gaps revealed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jeff Goldsmith then provided an overview of the Data Expo series, highlighting insights from the first session and setting the stage for the day’s discussions on innovative data practices.
A panel discussion moderated by Jeanette Stingone brought together experts from various sectors to share their unique experiences integrating diverse data sources during public health crises:
- Carleigh Gustafson, MBA, BSN, RN, SVP and Deputy COO, Mount Sinai, Center for Healthcare Readiness, discussed modernizing data infrastructure to improve real-time decision-making.
- David Larsen, Ph.D., MPH, Professor and Chair, Public Health Department, Syracuse University, highlighted the promise of wastewater surveillance as a tool for early detection of infectious disease trends.
- Lauren Houghton, PhD, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, emphasized the importance of qualitative data in understanding cultural and behavioral nuances during emergencies.
The conversation explored emerging data sources and strategies for addressing challenges such as data privacy, accessibility, and interoperability. Following the panel, attendees split into four breakout groups to dive deeper into pressing issues such as:
- Data Infrastructure – Overcoming technical barriers to real-time data sharing.
- Integrating Diverse Data Types – Building partnerships to leverage quantitative, qualitative, and unstructured data.
- Expanding Surveillance Tools – Identifying innovative approaches to complement traditional surveillance systems.
- Addressing Equity in Data – Developing strategies to better capture health disparities and structural inequities.
Participants used brainstorming techniques to propose actionable solutions, which were later presented during a plenary session. Some ideas explored included hackathons to generate efficient and interoperable data processing pipelines, integration of qualitative approaches to obtain community input and designing proof of concept projects to advance the use of collaborative data lakes.
A Showcase of Ideas
The day concluded with PRI Data Sparks, a session where attendees shared innovative ideas and projects through dynamic three-minute presentations. The session provided a platform for creative solutions aimed at enhancing public health preparedness through data innovation. Presenters and topics included:
- Eden Shaveet: Using Passive Digital Signals on Social Media to Detect Eating Disorder Risk and Social Contagion (Personal Website)
- Nebahat Noyan: Taking a Universal Approach by Focusing on the Most Vulnerable First (Cidi Website)
- Henry Lam: Towards Transformative Data-Driven Decision Platforms for Healthcare Crisis Response: From Prediction Models to AI-Digital-Twinning Integration (Bio Page)
- Sara Gorman: Critica Dashboard to Monitor Misinformation and Respond in Real Time (Critica Site)
- Analee Etheredge & Sam Hosmer: Structuring Unstructured Data (Email Analee, Sam)
- Jasmine Qin: Re+connect: Closing the Last-Mile Gaps in Disaster Relief Through Collective Action and Crowdsourced Data (Watch Video)
- Justin Snair: Preppr: Expanding AI-Powered Capabilities with Swarm Design for Collaborative Learning in Public Health Emergencies (Preppr.ai)
- Rebecca Passman: Structured for Success: Early Data Modeling for Public Health Preparedness and Response (Email Rebecca)
These presentations underscored the diverse ways data innovation can transform public health preparedness. The lively discussions that followed helped participants build connections and identify opportunities for collaboration.
Looking Ahead
PRI remains focused on creating public goods that benefit diverse communities. Insights from this Data Expo will inform future programming such as hack-a-thons and think-a-thons, and the development of a data-sharing framework. Stay connected for updates on the upcoming Data Expo and other PRI initiatives shaping the future of public health preparedness.