Winter Term Book Club: How We Became Our Data

Posted on by cmulder7

Are you curious about how our relationship with data and technology has evolved? Our book club is excited to announce our next selection: “How We Became Our Data: A Genealogy of the Informational Person” (e-book is available at this link). by Colin Koopman, Head of Philosophy & Director of New Media & Culture Certificate Program at the University of Oregon.

In this book, Koopman traces the historical development of data and information as they relate to individuals and how this has led to the current state of the “informational person.” He examines the ways in which data and information have been used to classify, quantify, and measure individuals and groups and explores the political and social implications of these developments.

This book is perfect for anyone interested in the history and philosophy of technology and data, as well as those concerned with privacy and the implications of the growing power of data in our lives.

This is an opportunity for anyone interested in learning more about the history and evolution of data and technology and to be part of a community of like-minded individuals passionate about this topic. Whether you’re an expert in the field or just starting your data journey, all are welcome to join.

Even if you haven’t had a chance to read the book yet, you’re still welcome to join our discussions. We will meet every other week in the Knight Library DREAM lab to discuss the book, and our meetings will be held both in-person and online. If you’re interested in joining our book club, please sign up by filling out this form (REGISTER HERE) We’ll send out an email with the schedule and more details soon after. We’re looking forward to exploring this fascinating topic with you!

Professor Koopman writes that summaries of parts of the book are available elsewhere in:

Fall 2022 Data Services Workshops

Posted on by Aidan Bergsman

“Artwork by @allison_horst”

R for Absolute Beginners: An Orientation (In-person & on Zoom) 

Friday, September 30, 3:00pm – 5:00pm 

Have you heard of R but aren’t sure if it’s for you? Are you attending the all-day workshop on Saturday and want to make sure you’re prepared? This 2-hour hybrid workshop will be a basic orientation to what R is and how you can interact with it using the RStudio interface. We will also review how to navigate files on your computer from within a programming environment. 

Introduction to R (In-person & on Zoom) 

Saturday, October 1st, 10:00am – 5:00pm 

Are you interested in using R and RStudio but unsure where to start? This workshop is for you! 

This intensive workshop will introduce you to the fundamentals of programming in R, including creating functions, analyzing data sets, reading and writing files, and understanding data types. The workshop series follows this Carpentries workshop curriculum. Please follow these instructions to install R, RStudio, and files we will use during the workshop; for help troubleshooting installations, set up an appointment with us. 

Introduction to Python (In-person & on Zoom) 

This four-session workshop will introduce you to the fundamentals of programming in Python. This course is intended for absolute beginners or anyone wanting to review the basics. This series lays the foundation for attendees to understand Python code and begin writing scripts that apply to their work. We have scheduled two hours per session in order to allow for questions, but most sessions will last about an hour. 

1. Setup & Python Fundamentals (1:30pm – 3:30pm, Tuesday, October 25) 
2. Libraries & Functions (1:30pm – 3:30pm, Thursday, October 27) 
3. Analyzing Data with Python (1:30pm – 3:30pm, Tuesday, November 1) 
4. Visualizing Data with Python (1:30pm – 3:30pm, Thursday, November 3) 

The workshop series follows this Software Carpentries workshop curriculum. 

Introduction to R  (In-person & on Zoom) 

Are you interested in using R and RStudio but unsure where to start? This workshop is for you! 

This six-session workshop will introduce you to the fundamentals of using R! This course is intended for absolute beginners or anyone wanting to review the basics. Each session will be an hour and a half per and follow the schedule below. 

1. Intro to R and Rstudio (2:00pm – 4:00pm, Wednesday, October 12th) 
2. Getting started with R (2:00pm – 4:00pm, Friday, October 14th) 
3. Data visualization with R & ggplot (2:00pm – 4:00pm, Wednesday, October 19th) 
4. Working with Data in R part 1 (2:00pm – 4:00pm, Friday, October 21st) 
5. Working with Data in R part 2 (2:00pm – 4:00pm, Wednesday, October 26th) 
6. Reproducible reports with R & Rmarkdown (2:00pm – 4:00pm, Friday, October 28th) 

The workshop series follows this Carpentries workshop curriculum. 

Upcoming R and Python Workshops!

Posted on by cmulder7
Alt-text: A digital cartoon with two illustrations: the top shows the R-logo with a scary face, and a small scared little fuzzy monster holding up a white flag in surrender while under a dark stormcloud. The text above says “at first I was like…” The lower cartoon is a friendly, smiling R-logo jumping up to give a happy fuzzy monster a high-five under a smiling sun and next to colorful flowers. The text above the bottom illustration reads “but now it’s like…”
“Artwork by @allison_horst“.

Hi Everyone,

We have added several Python and R workshops to the Library Calendar. Please share these with anyone that you know who might be interested.

We will be announcing more workshops for Fall 2022 soon!

Python for Absolute Beginners: An Orientation 

Thursday September 22nd 1:00pm-3:00pm

Have you heard of Python but aren’t sure if it’s for you? Are you attending the all-day workshop on Friday and want to ensure you’re prepared? This 2-hour hybrid workshop will be a basic orientation to Python and how you interact with it. We will also review how to navigate files on your computer from within a programming environment.

Introduction to Python 

Friday September 23rd 10:00am – 5:00pm

This workshop will introduce you to the fundamentals of programming in Python. Intended for absolute beginners or anyone wanting to review the basics, this workshop lays the foundation to understand Python code and begin writing scripts that apply to your work.

The workshop follows the Software Carpentries workshop curriculum Plotting and Programming in Python and will cover introductory topics such as variables, data types, data frames, plotting, lists, for loops, conditionals, and (if time allows) writing basic functions.

Before the workshop, please install Python 3 in the interface of your choice. We recommend JupyterLab Desktop, available for installation here. If you need help troubleshooting an installation, you can make an appointment with us. The day before, we will also offer a 2-hour orientation to Python, called Python for Absolute Beginners. If all you know about Python is that it sounds like a snake, consider attending.

R for Absolute Beginners: An Orientation

Friday September 30th 3:00pm – 5:00pm

Have you heard of R but aren’t sure if it’s for you? Are you attending the all-day workshop on Saturday and want to ensure you’re prepared? This 2-hour hybrid workshop will be a basic orientation to R and how you can interact with it using the RStudio interface. We will also review how to navigate files on your computer from within a programming environment.

Introduction to R

Saturday, October 1st 10:00am – 5:00pm

Are you interested in using R and RStudio but unsure where to start? This workshop is for you!

This intensive workshop will introduce you to the fundamentals of programming in R, including creating functions, analyzing data sets, reading and writing files, and understanding data types and for loops. The workshop series follows this Carpentries workshop curriculum. Please follow these instructions to install R, RStudio, and files we will use during the workshop; for help troubleshooting installations, set up an appointment with us.

This hybrid workshop will take place in the DREAM Lab, but participants may also join via Zoom.