Friday, April 24, 2026 | Chicago, IL | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Chicago Time)
It is time for a reunion. A decade after the inaugural Midwest Big Data Opportunities and Challenges (MBDOC) workshop in 2016, we are gathering regional data researchers, practitioners, and industry leaders to reconnect and discuss the current landscape of database systems, LLM infrastructure, and AI data management.
Hosted at the UChicago Data Science Institute, this workshop is designed to reignite connections across institutions including UChicago, UIC, DePaul, Northwestern, UWisc, GoogleWisc, UIUC, Purdue, UMich, and OSU. Beyond reconnecting, we want to use this event to create a sustainable structure for a recurring gathering—perhaps a bi-annual Midwest Data Day—so we don't have to wait another decade to come together.
Midwest Data Day builds on a rich tradition of regional collaboration. Explore the archives of our past gatherings:
Help shape the future of Midwest data systems.
We are looking for a diverse set of technical presentations spanning traditional databases to modern AI/LLM data challenges. From the submissions below, we will arrange a curated program of Keynotes, 10-minute talks, and Poster sessions.
Preference given to senior researchers (Faculty/Postdocs) for talks to ensure high engagement.
All times are in Central Daylight Time (Chicago).
*Please note: This is a tentative schedule. The finalized program will be published here by March 30.*
The workshop will be hosted at the University of Chicago's Data Science Institute.
For detailed information on how to get here, including building access and public transportation options, please visit the official DSI visiting guide.
Here is a list of local hotels in Hyde Park commonly used by the Data Science Institute. (Note: We cannot guarantee dedicated parking at any of these locations, so please check with the hotel directly.)