Jan 15, 2026 Plot-A-Thon 2026

Plot-A-Thon is CSUCI's unique data visualization competition which aims to boost students' confidence in data literacy, introduce them to plotting and visualizing data, and hone their data storytelling skills. Students from all disciplines and levels of experiences are welcome to compete in teams or participate by attending talks. The 2026 Plot-A-thon will be held on Feb. 20, 2026 from Noon to 5 p.m. at Broome Library Room 1720.

Competing teams have two days to clean and analyze a dataset, then provide data visualizations using Excel, Tableau, R, or Python to a general audience in the form of an infographic. The competition itself is a 28-hour event (overnight stay in the Broome Library is optional) with free food, on-site workshops/tutoring, great swag and prizes.

In addition, the event provides participants with opportunities to network or obtain mentorship with sponsors. This is CSUCI's sixth year in hosting the competition and it welcomes students enrolled in universities and colleges in the San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties. While registration is now closed, students can still learn for free (on demand) through the website: https://plot-a-thon.cikeys.com/