Podcast

R for the Rest of Us Podcast Episode 21: Cédric Vidonne

November 29, 2024

In this episode, I talk with Cédric Vidonne, an Information Management Officer at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) with over 15 years of experience in humanitarian data visualization. Cédric shares his journey from GIS and cartography to creating impactful infographics and embracing the R programming language. He discusses how R has revolutionized data efficiency within UNHCR, where it aids in producing faster, reproducible data products essential for crisis response....

R for the Rest of Us Podcast Episode 20: Christine Parker

November 14, 2024

In this episode, I talk with Christine Parker, the Senior GIS Analyst on the Community Broadband Networks team at the Institute for Local Self Reliance. Christine shares how she used R to clean, combine, and summarize data for a dashboard tracking enrollment in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a COVID-era initiative to help people access affordable internet. The dashboard gained wide attention. It was shared in advocacy circles, referenced in Congress, and discussed with the White...

R for the Rest of Us Podcast Episode 19: Crystal Lewis

October 10, 2024

In this episode, I chat with Crystal Lewis about data management and her book titled ‘Data Management in Large-Scale Education Research’. Crystal, a freelance research data management consultant, shares insights on good planning and systematic implementation of practices that are key to effective data management. She discusses the importance of automated data validation, and outlines a structured approach to data cleaning. Additionally, Crystal reflects on her experience writing an...

R for the Rest of Us Podcast Episode 18: Miles McBain

August 29, 2024

In this episode, I speak with Miles McBain, a data scientist and R package developer from Brisbane, Australia, about patterns and anti-patterns in data analysis reuse. Miles shares his journey from a generalist software developer to a data science specialist, his passion for R, and the evolution of his coding practices. We delve into the intricacies of code reuse in data analysis, discussing common pitfalls to avoid, the benefits of creating reusable code packages, the process of breaking...

R for the Rest of Us Podcast Episode 17: Meghan Harris

July 25, 2024

In this episode, I speak with Meghan Harris, a data scientist at the Prostate Cancer Trials Consortium at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Meghan is one of the special people who do generative art in R. She talks about why she likes making generative art in R and how it has helped her improve her R skills in other areas. In the video, she gives a walkthrough of how to make generative art in R. Watch the conversation on YouTube. Important resources mentioned: Intro to Data Art Blog...

R for the Rest of Us Podcast Episode 16: Cara Thompson

June 13, 2024

In this episode, I speak with Cara Thompson about color, delving into several aspects of its use in data visualization. Cara is a UK-based data visualization consultant with over 15 years of experience in transforming data insights into clear, compelling visual stories. We explore how she finds inspiration for selecting colors, her reasons for not simply using organizations' brand colors in her visualizations, and the importance of dedicating time to thoughtfully consider color choices in...

R for the Rest of Us Podcast Episode 15: Nicola Rennie

May 15, 2024

In this episode, I talk with Nicola Rennie about making data viz for mobile devices. Nicola is a lecturer in health data science based within the Center for Health Informatics, Computing, and Statistics at Lancaster University in the UK. She recounts her initial encounter with R and how she got deeper into data visualization in R as a means of creative expression. Amidst the plethora of programming languages available, Nicola sheds light on why she chose R specifically for data visualization....

R for the Rest of Us Podcast Episode 14: Will Landau

April 17, 2024

In this episode, I’m joined by Will Landau, a statistician and software developer currently working with Eli Lilly and Company. Will specializes in Bayesian methods, high-performance computing, and reproducible workflows. He is the creator of the {targets} R package, a pipeline tool for reproducible computation in statistics and data science. The package became part of ROpenSci in early 2021. Will talks about his journey into R and using it for open source projects. He gives a detailed...

R for the Rest of Us Podcast Episode 13: Ahmadou Dicko

March 20, 2024

In this episode, I talk with Ahmadou Dicko, a statistician based in Senegal working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Ahmadou shares insights on utilizing data-driven approaches to address development obstacles, especially within humanitarian settings. He explores the innovative packages and strategies developed by his team using R for data management, analysis, and communication. Among these innovations is robotoolbox, an extensive R package designed for...