Six months to the day since Digital Footprints 2024, as we are gearing up for Digital Footprints 2025 hosted by the University of Leeds, we wanted to reflect on the success of the event and our excitement for next year.
On May 8th and 9th we welcomed 80 attendees to the University of Bristol to take part in this year’s conference: Digital Footprints for Social Impact. The attendees spanned all career stages, including PhD candidates and early-career researchers (21%), mid-career professionals (31%), lecturers and professors (25%), and those working in senior leadership (23%). While these were predominantly from academia (79%), we also welcomed those working in government (8%), industry (4%), and other backgrounds (9%) (for instance, research councils or public health institutions).
Day 1 was packed with interactive workshops covering a wide range of topics, for instance, mapping ethical priorities in digital footprints research, or using Lego to discuss the barriers in working with smart data. The day wrapped up with a fantastic BBQ at the beautiful Goldney Hall.
Day 2 welcomed our esteemed invited speakers: Osama Rahman from the ONS Data Science Campus discussed the growing role of data science in national statistics; Jeff Brunstrom from the University of Bristol introduced the role of the Consumer Lab Hub in consumer behaviour research; Frederik Trier Møller from the Statens Serum Institute spoke about using consumer purchase data for measuring health; and Andy Boyd from the UK Longitudinal Linkage Collaboration (UK LLC) provided an overview of the role of UK LLC in facilitating digital footprints linkages to cohort studies.
We accepted over 30 abstracts in total, presented as either flash talks or posters. The flash talks delivered brief and impactful snapshots into some diverse research. From using mood surveys for digital footprints research to the use of food-sharing app data, or from linking social media data from LinkedIn with surveys to using banking data to evaluate gambling harm. The day concluded with an Early Career Researcher (ECR) Panel which reflected on navigating academic challenges as an ECR, followed by an inspiring keynote delivered by Clive Humby OBE, who reflected on his experience using digital footprints for social impact.
The abstracts from the event are now available in the conference proceedings, which can be accessed here.
The overwhelming feedback from conference attendees was that the event covered a wide range of topics, and showcased the work of those from diverse academic backgrounds. There was a tangible sense of excitement at the potential future directions of digital footprints research.
Reflecting on Digital Footprints 2024, we’ve come away with a few major insights that will shape our approach as we look to 2025:
- Workshops were a major hit, and we want more of them! This year’s workshops were interactive and hands-on, which allowed for real in-depth explorations of some critical themes and ideas, centred on collaboration and idea-sharing. We hope to expand the workshop opportunities for 2025, giving attendees even more chances to dive deep and develop ideas together.
- We’re aiming for broader representation from industry, third-sector, and government participants. Our industry representation is growing; we are continually working to address the barriers for collaboration between academics and businesses, learning more about how to make these partnerships mutually beneficial. However, there is more to be done, so we are actively working to engage more contributors from these sectors as speakers, workshop facilitators, and attendees for 2025.
- There’s growing excitement in the field—and we’re committed to keeping the momentum alive! The enthusiasm throughout the event was inspiring, showing us just how much interest and potential there is in digital footprints research for social impact. This excitement is something we want to sustain for 2025, and we’re looking forward to building on this energy and creating an even more impactful experience next year in Leeds.
Once more, it is important to thank this year’s organisers for their hard work, but also all who attended and engaged so warmly with the conference.
Looking towards 2025, we are very excited to be deep in the planning stages of our third conference. The conference will take place in the vibrant city of Leeds on May 14th – 15th, and the theme will be: Digital Footprints for Public Good. We are taking on board the attendee feedback from this year, making adaptations to refine the structure and content of the conference. This includes inviting data owners to present as speakers, spending more time dedicated to poster presentations, and more opportunities for networking.
The Call for Contributions for Digital Footprints 2025 is out now, inviting entries for workshops, panels and abstracts. More information about the call and the upcoming conference can be found here. We look forward to meeting with the growing community again next year!
