In response to the increasing use of data visualisation techniques to illuminate research findings, the Doctoral School is pleased to announced the Data Visualisation competition for its second year running.
Unlock Your Creative Potential
Are you ready to showcase your creative flair and analytical prowess in the world of data? Join our Data Visualisation Competition, where you’ll have the opportunity to transform raw data into captivating visuals that inform, engage, and inspire.
As a research student, participating in this competition will not only enhance your skills in data interpretation and presentation but also open doors for networking with like-minded individuals and professionals in the field. By bringing your unique perspective to the table, you’ll contribute to the ever-growing landscape of data-driven insights and solutions.
Don’t miss this chance to put your talent to the test, gain recognition among your peers, and potentially win a prize! Unleash the power of data and let your creativity flow.
Guidelines
Eligibility
The competition is open to all UCL research students who are currently enrolled in a graduate or postgraduate programme.
Submission Format
A static visualisation must be submitted in PDF format. Interactive visualisations have to be presented on a publicly and easily accessible platform.
Tools
Although it is easiest to create visualisations in programmes intended for this purpose, all tools are allowed – from freehand drawings to programming languages.
Content
The visualisation should be based on original data, and should be clear, concise, and engaging. When using your own research findings the visualisation should effectively communicate them to a general audience.
Design
The design of the visualisation should be visually appealing, easy to read and interpret, and should incorporate appropriate colors, fonts, and visual elements. Please follow the UCL visual identity when possible.
Data Sources
Any data used in the visualisation should be properly credited, and should be from reliable sources.
Ethics
All entries should adhere to ethical research practices and should not contain any misleading or inaccurate information.
Judging Criteria
Entries will be judged based on the effectiveness of the visualisation in communicating the findings, as well as the design and visual appeal of the visualisation.
How to enter
To enter the competition you must complete the entry form (linked at the bottom of this page) and attach your visualisation file or provide a link to the external platform for animated of interactive visualisation.
Deadline for entries: Wednesday 1 May 2024.
Prizes
First Prize: £400
£100 for runners up – the number of runner up prizes will be decided based on entries quality and number.
If you are a current recipient of the eligible UCL scholarship you will also have a chance to win a prize funded by the UCL Student Funding Office: First Prize £400 or Runner-up £100. You will find a question about eligible scholarships in the entry form.
Prize winners will be announced at the Researcher Showcase Day on 5 June 2024.
Useful links
Examples of great data visualisations
Sources of free data sets
- Top 8 Free Dataset Sources to Use for Data Science Projects
- 12 Excellent Datasets for Data Visualization in 2022
- 40 Free Datasets for Building an Irresistible Portfolio (2023)
Beyond MS Excel: free data visualisation and iconographics tools
- The Data Visualization Catalogue
- Tableau Public
- Power BI
- Google Charts
- D3.js Graph Gallery
- D3.js Java Script library
- SankeyMATIC
- Inforgram
- Piktochart
- Visme
- Canva
Queries – please contact docschoolweb@ucl.ac.uk