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Air Force Chief Data Office announces first Datathon

  • Published
  • Department of the Air Force Chief Data Office

The Department of the Air Force Chief Data Office unveiled plans to host a series of Datathons — events aimed at solving critical challenges by using data. For the first Datathon, the Chief Data Office is teaming with AFWERX and the Air Force-Massachusetts Institute of Technology Artificial Intelligence Accelerator to focus on C-17 Globemaster III aircrew scheduling optimization. The team is working with C-17 crew members based at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, and JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.

“We believe in the ideas of our Airmen,” said Eileen Vidrine, Department of the Air Force chief data officer. “For our young Airmen, data is part of their core DNA. They were raised with it, and we believe they hold the answers to existing questions—or opportunities, rather, of the Air Force—and this includes surrounding scheduling for the C-17,” Vidrine continued.

Who: DAF military (active duty, Reserve, Guard); DAF civilians

What: First Datathon focused on C-17 scheduling

When: July 14-16; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. MDT

Where: Virtual based on registration (https://events.afwerxchallenge.com/cdo-datathon)

The inaugural Datathon is supporting Puckboard, a modern scheduling platform that enables real time, collaborative scheduling from anywhere in the world. Puckboard focuses on creating a great user experience for schedulers and crew members while automating time consuming tasks. The Puckboard project is led by a team of Airmen from TRON, a DoD software factory. TRON has partnered with the USAF/MIT Artificial Intelligence Accelerator and SAF/CO to incorporate lessons learned from this Datathon into Puckboard.

The Chief Data Office of the U.S. Department of the Air Force oversees and creates governance policy around data management for the department.