Master of Data Analytics students sweep top spots at Higher Education Analytics Data Competition

University of Niagara Falls Canada teams place first, second, and fourth competing against other Ontario colleges, universities

Students from University of Niagara Falls Canada’s Master of Data Analytics program have earned top honours at the 2026 Higher Education Analytics Data Competition, demonstrating the program’s strength in applied, real-world problem solving.

Competing against teams from universities and colleges across the province by taking on a real-world climate challenge, three UNF teams delivered standout performances in the event hosted by Mohawk College, finishing first, second, and fourth overall. Teams of students were tasked with analyzing how climate change could shape the future of Hamilton’s urban forest.

Working with municipal tree data and climate projections, participants explored risks such as heat, drought, and extreme weather, while identifying which trees and neighbourhoods are most vulnerable. Teams were asked to design their own data-driven approaches and deliver practical strategies to help the city strengthen its urban forest as a critical piece of climate resilience. 

Professor Omid Isfahani Alamdari, who served as faculty advisor for UNF’s student teams, said their work translated insights into clear, actionable strategies, such as prioritizing replanting efforts and promoting a more diverse and climate-resilient urban forest.

“Their presentation skills were really great this year,” he said, about the UNF teams. “They were able to take their findings and share them in a storytelling manner, talking about their analysis and solutions like they were telling a story. This really helped them stand out and impress the judges.”

The competition was a great opportunity for students to put what they’ve learned in the classroom into action, said Su Myat Aung, a member of the winning team. Using real-world data, they had the opportunity to generate insights that could benefit the community,

“(It) allowed us to move beyond theory and demonstrate how data analytics can contribute to meaningful decision-making and real societal impact. Being able to work on a project with practical relevance made the learning experience much more engaging and purposeful,” she said.

Winning first place was a strong boost to her motivation and confidence, she said, adding that seeing how analytical work can create real value for the community reinforced her desire to continue improving her skills and contribute meaningfully through data-driven insights.

“It showed me that knowledge should not remain only in the classroom,” she said. “Its real value is realized when it is used to solve real problems.”

This marked the second year UNF participated in this competition. Last year, one team of students entered, finishing in second place. Participating both years, Juan Cisneros said he’s seen significant growth in himself as a competitor this year as he’s learned how to develop effective dialogue and use his communication skills to properly express his ideas.

“Sometimes, you may have a strong idea but lack the ability to present or sell it effectively. In this experience, beyond delivering quality work, our focus was also on clearly explaining our ideas and persuasively presenting them to the judges,” he said.

The competition showed him that real-life problems are far more complex than they may initially seem.

“It is very different to complete an assignment in a classroom setting, where there is usually a defined solution, compared to working with real-world data and having to independently identify and develop solutions,” said Cisneros.

Hassan Baz Chamas, Associate Dean of UNF’s MDA and Master of Computer Science in Applied Artificial Intelligence programs, said this success is not accidental. It is the direct outcome of how UNF approaches education: embedding data at the core of everything it does.

“Our blend of academic rigour, data-driven thinking, and hands-on collaboration is what sets our students apart and it is why they continue to excel in competitive environments,” he said, adding that to say he is proud of them would be an understatement.

“And we’re just getting started,” he said. 

UNF’s student teams

First place: Su Myat Aung, Susana Carolina Romero Aparicio, Tessy De los Angeles Ramirez Lopez, Yi Xin

Second place: Juan Cisneros, Rodrigo Alfaro Villafuerte, Maria Alejandra Boada Rodríguez, German David Garcia Nieves

Fourth place: Fatema Islam Surovi, Kamal Gurudhami, Lady Viviana Gomez Forero, Fawziyyah Oziohu Jimoh