The 2025 Tufts Nutrition Data Symposium (TNDS) will be a
held on Friday, October 24, 2025 at the Tufts University Medford Campus.
This year’s program focuses on data readiness for AI in food systems research, bringing together students, researchers, and professionals for an engaging, interactive event.
Tentative Agenda
11:30–11:45 am
Registration Open
Check-in and connect with fellow participants before the kickoff.
Objective: Welcome attendees and prepare for the day’s sessions.
11:45 am – 12:00 pm
Opening Remarks & Kickoff
Welcome and framing of the day’s theme by organizers.
Objective: Set the tone and shared purpose of advancing data literacy for responsible AI.
12:00–1:00 pm
Lightning Talks
6–10 flash talks from students/researchers on data literacy challenges and insights.
Objectives: (a) Highlight real examples of cleaning, merging, documenting, or troubleshooting health data. (b) Promote peer-to-peer learning and discussion of lessons/solutions.
1:00–2:30 pm
Panel Discussion: “Is Your Data Ready for AI?”
Moderator: Dr. Elena Naumova with 3–4 panelists from academia, industry, and public health.
Objectives: Define what it means for a dataset to be “AI-ready,” recognize pitfalls of poor data, and address ethical responsibilities in preparing/sharing data.
2:30–2:45 pm
Break
Short transition and refreshment break.
2:45–4:00 pm
Hands-On Data Experience (Tufts Data Lab)
Walk through cleaning and preparing a dataset for analysis/modeling.
Objective: Strengthen participants’ technical skills and confidence with messy data using a participant-selected programming software.
4:00–6:00 pm
Closing Social / Industry Networking
Informal conversations with invited guests and companies in AI/health/data.
Objective: Foster partnerships and expose students to career pathways.
For questions or collaboration inquiries, contact us at tnds@tufts.edu