We are generating more data than ever before. Thanks to the data scientists who organize and analyze this information, and data visualization teams that reveal insights using pioneering forms of visual communication, this abundance of big data can be harnessed to serve the public interest in innovative ways.
Big Data for the Public Good is a four-part seminar series hosted by Code for America in San Francisco and sponsored by Greenplum, a division of EMC, that explores how data scientists and change agents are harnessing the big data explosion to address the great opportunities and pressing challenges of our time. Do good with data - apply for a Code for America Fellowship.
Seminar 1
Data Visualization
With Mike Migurski and Eric Rodenbeck of Stamen Design
How can we create compelling narratives from data? What is the potential of data visualization to serve the public good? Michal Migurski and Eric Rodenbeck of Stamen Design discuss how data scientists, designers and developers sharing an inventive storytelling vision can make information relevant to broad audiences and inspire social change.
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Data Without Borders
With Jake Porway of Data Without Borders & The New York Times
It’s a given that large companies like Google, Amazon and Facebook maintain dedicated data science teams with full-time analysts who examine user data in real time. Non-profits do not share this luxury, often lacking the resources to analyze and act upon their rich datasets. Jake Porway speaks about Data Without Borders, a group that harnesses the data science community to provide non-profits with these resources, so that they may “use data in the service of humanity.”
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The Federated Corporation
With Ward Cunningham of Nike and Max Ogden of Code for America
How do companies proactively promote sustainable practices? By designing sustainability into their products from day one. Ward Cunningham, Nike’s Open Data for Sustainability Fellow, reports on his work with the company’s data managers to model the lifecycle of Nike’s products and steward the production of environmentally sound merchandise, from the prototype stage to manufacturing.
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Data Science as Sport
With Jeremy Howard of Kaggle
Data is abundant and infinitely replicable. The challenge lies in discovering the relevant and actionable information that exists within this data deluge. Jeremy Howard is the President and Chief Scientist for Kaggle, an online platform for predictive modeling competitions that “makes data science a sport.” Kaggle provides data sets to the world’s best data analysts, demonstrating how the data science community can contribute the public good through competitive analysis of government and non-profit data.
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