As we say goodbye to a spring semester that has included three weddings, three new babies, one graduation from library school, and the completion of licensure for a master's in social work (LMSW) by a new staff member, I would like to take a moment to celebrate all that we have accomplished as an organization. 

We collaborate across Libraries' departments and the University to achieve our goals. 

The 2023 Faculty Creative Works was a remarkable success that honored faculty's scholarly and creative contributions and included recognition of a record-breaking nine winners of the UTA CARES grant and three ELFF award winners. 

Community Engagement partnered with Special Collections, Cultural Engagement and Social Change, UTA Athletics, Experience Wrestling, The Dallas Wings, and the College Park Center to celebrate Diversity in Sports with an attendance of 89 despite the stormy weather. 

Experiential Learning completed seven ELFF projects in partnership with faculty from across disciplines and have five more courses in the curriculum development stage. The curricula are showcased in the Research Commons. 

We strive to create an environment focused on student learning and engagement. 

Open Partnership and Services successfully held the first UTA Datathon with 100 participants over a two-day period. They raised $4,100 from donors, held six workshops and cemented four new partnerships, all leading to extensive use of the DataCAVE during the event.  

The Basement continues to create a strong sense of belonging for students. 81.21% of those who completed The Basement survey strongly agreed or agreed that they felt a sense of belonging to UTA compared to 63.13% who strongly agreed/agreed with the same statement in the library-wide survey. 

On social media, Marketing and Communications have helped us see impressive reach during the spring semester. For Instagram, our reach is up 600%; visits are up 140%, and followers are up 92%. On YouTube, we have seen a 136% increase in views compared to last year. 

The libraries received over $3 million in HEERF funds to improve the technology, spaces and resources to which our students have access. Library Systems and Technology deployed hundreds of HEERF-funded public computers. Collaborating with OPS and Liaisons, A&D purchased 285 textbooks.  

Through a collaboration among CE, LST, Facilities and EL, we are also finishing the complete refurnishing of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth floors and upgrading our AV infrastructure.  

Kevin also planned the windows replacement project. Many thanks to you all for your flexibility and patience while working at an alternative location or putting up with the noise. 

We reflect on organizational needs and take action to increase our expertise and access to scholarship. 

In response to increased requests for Systematic and Scoping reviews, a number of Research Services staff have either completed or are working toward completion of the Systematic Review Support Specialist Level 1 MLA certification and the Cochrane Systematic Review training. This focused development will enable us to establish a unified service model to increase capacity and support for faculty and students' evolving research needs.   

Special Collections staff and stakeholders from across the Libraries have selected ArchivesSpace as its content management system. Another cross-departmental group has recommended BePress/Digital Commons as the Libraries' new digital repository and open journal platform. We will be implementing both in the coming months. We have also made great strides in filling vacant positions. 

We are a reflective organization. 

The Dean's search is progressing. Finalists will visit us in July and soon, we will be on our next great organizational journey. As we prepare to share who we are with our next Dean of Libraries and help them to determine our path, I'd like to invite you to engage in some R&R - Rethinking and Rediscovery, to be exact.  

Have you noticed a second wood sculpture in front of Special Collections? It is the Multi-Tiered Many Triggered Whirling War Arrow by Roy Fridge from the Charles Williams Memorial Collection, which has been tucked away in the back of SPCO for many years.  

Don Ivey encouraged SPCO to rethink and then discuss why one wood sculpture was out front and one hidden in the back, with no labeling on either. This led to both pieces being on display with newly created intriguing labels. Are there "hidden figures" in your areas? 

I remember Kelly Dill's story about cutting off the corners before cooking a pot roast at her house. Her mom taught her that because grandma did it. Eventually, she found out the reason. Grandma did it because her cooking pot was too small for the entire pork roast. Are we doing things a certain way because that is how they have always been done rather than reflecting on why? 

One question we often ask job candidates is, "What attracts you to UTA Libraries?" Some say it is our innovation and creativity, some say it is the high-impact student services we provide, and others say it is the people or our embrace of informed risk-taking. These are all great reasons. For those of us who already work here, would we say the same reasons? What attracts and continues to keep you here?  

Of course, let's not forget about much-deserved R&R – rest and relaxation. The Staff spring reception was this week and the annual Family & Friends barbecue is just around the corner.  

- Suzanne Byke, Associate University Librarian, and Gretchen Trkay, Associate University Librarian, contributed to this column. 

The atmosphere was electric at UTA Central Library as dozens of teams gathered for the highly anticipated 2023 Datathon on April 15.  

Teams of students worked together at the UTA Libraries' first Datathon event to solve real-world type challenges. Students used data science tools and techniques to solve problems they were given during the 24-hour event. 

Some of the skills students used to solve these problems included networking, teamwork and building relationships. 

Rubab Shahzad, a data visualization librarian, shared the feedback she received from participants indicating that the event was a success. She hopes to build upon the foundation of this year's event to make the 2024 Datathon even better. 

"If you are interested and had a good time at the Datathon, we'll have some similar workshops coming up, hopefully in summer and fall as well," Rubab said. "Follow us on Instagram throughout the year to watch for upcoming events." 

Along with problem-solving challenges, there were several workshops hosted by professionals who shared their knowledge with students. Some topics covered in the workshops include machine learning, augmented reality, data visualization and intro to data science.  

Uma Syed, an aerospace engineering major, stated that she saw the Datathon as a great way to get experience solving problems you could face as a professional.  

"I am looking forward to the workshops and all of the challenges that they are going to give out because I want to learn code," Uma said. 

Fellow aerospace engineering major, Zoila Martinez, stated she looked forward to learning how data analysis could be applied to different problems. She said that she was curious about how to use those skills in her future career.  

 One of the event sponsors, MathWorks, demonstrated its MatLab programming platform at the Datathon. This platform is designed specifically for engineers and scientists to analyze and develop systems and products.  

Armando Garcia, MathWorks Senior Customer Success Engineer, stated that MathWorks is proud to support UTA and its students. As part of the event, MathWorks hosted one of the data challenges.  

"The challenge consists of building a fitness tracker using machine learning. Hopefully, this will be a fun event for the students to learn how to use machine learning for something that is very relatable and applicable," Armando said. "It will be good practice for them to go into the industry with those skills." 

Rubab thanked the event's sponsors, MathWorks and the UTA Computer Science and Math Departments, for their continued support. She also thanked the Association for Computing Machinery UTA student chapter, who helped organize the Datathon. 

 

The UTA Datathon has started a tradition of collaboration, innovation, learning and exploring the power of data. UTA Libraries looks forward to building upon this exciting new field in 2024 and beyond. 

To get future updates on upcoming Datathon events, follow their Instagram page UTA Datathon at https://www.instagram.com/utadatathon. 

When Kukhyoung Kim applied for her graduate research associate (GRA) position at the University of Texas at Arlington Libraries, she was looking for a new experience.

“I wanted to work with others having different backgrounds,” Kim said. “[Research Data Services (RDS)] was the best place to experience it.”

Two years later, Kim has been accepted to the competitive Office of Graduate Studies dissertation fellowship for the summer of 2020. This will culminate in her graduation with a PhD in Urban Planning in August. Kim says she has learned a lot in her time working in RDS—and not just about data.

“Being a team member of RDS team always inspires and motivates me to develop and learn skills,” Kim said. “I believe that this valuable experience will be a good guideline for my future.”

Kim’s supervisor and Director of RDS, Peace Ossom Williamson, credits Kim as a major contributor to much of what RDS has accomplished in the last two years.

“Kukhyoung has brought so much expertise and passion to her work, and we are so grateful to have had her as an employee,” Ossom Williamson said. “I wish her all the best as she moves on to bigger and better!”

In her time at UTA Libraries, Kim helped with the development of the DataCave, as well as the annual Hackathon event. Kim also teaches one of the most popular DAVis workshops about geographic information system (GIS) mapping, which she says is her greatest accomplishment.

“Teaching is a totally new area from just knowing it,” Kim said. “I used to use the GIS program for around seven years, but only in my major area [urban planning]. Meeting with diverse-majored students, I’ve learned how other majors are using the GIS software.”

Kim also said that working in RDS helped her to see data in a new way.

“I could understand and know various ways of using the data and data visualization with different purposes and methods,” she said. “RDS is not just a working place. You can learn about data and tools from other team members and have opportunities for applying them in projects.”

Data visualizations were Kim’s favorite projects. Some examples of Kim’s data visualization work include a video describing one woman’s experience of bed rest and a poster used to explain how to get started with data management.

Kim recommends working at UTA Libraries to her fellow graduate students because of the learning environment that was fostered by her team.

“Through every team meeting, I have learned different views, visions, and approaches on tasks from others,” Kim said. “Their feedback on my data visualization works has helped me to develop it in more creative and innovative ways.”

Kim also suggests giving the DataCave and RDS a chance, even if the services might not seem like what the student needs.

“Just enjoy it with an open mind!” she said. “The supervisor [Ossom Williamson] and RDS team will encourage you to learn various data analysis tools and help you.”

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UTA Libraries is proud to support student workers like Kukhyoung as they work toward their futures beyond graduate school. To see what GRA positions are available, look for UTA Libraries on Handshake.

The clock strikes 10:00 AM on a Saturday morning. The air is cold despite the sun, and yet, teams of students congregate at the University of Texas at Arlington Libraries for their second annual hackathon.

The event was hosted at UTA’s Central Library in honor of Open Data Day, a global celebration encouraging the use of open data and adoption of open data policies—and promised the top three teams enticing prizes. 

As early as 9:30, students had already staked out their spots in the sixth floor Atrium, claiming whiteboards and power strips. Angel Salgado, a sophomore Aerospace Engineering major, carefully tucked his sleeping bag under his chair as he waited to join a team.

“I’ve never been to a hackathon before,” Salgado said. “I just wanted to experience it for myself…I came over here without a group, so I hope to maybe join a group and then we can talk about what we want to tackle.”

As the three sets of elevator doors opened and more students filled the room, Associate University Librarian for Scholarly Communication Kelly Visnak admired the unfolding scene.

“This is a great opportunity for students to be a part of a group and gain that sense of belonging around data science,” Visnak said. “We believe it is important to give our students a chance to work with open data in a creatively challenging environment to push the boundaries of what is possible. And they always surprise us!”

The hours ticked by. Salgado found his team, a pair of young men who had also come alone—but not without ideas. They attacked the theme—movement—from a dozen angles, bantering with excitement and connection.

By noon, the throngs of college students were itching for a break. Thankfully, the organizers of the event— Peace Ossom Williamson, Director for Research Data Services, and Isaac Williams, Data Visualization Librarian—had planned ahead. Lunch was delivered by Jason’s Deli, while dinner and the next morning’s breakfast were served by UTA Catering services.

The reprieve of sandwiches and water reenergized the teams, who quickly returned to their keyboards to resume their work, which continued into the night and next morning. Williams and Ossom Williamson traded off shifts, offering support when needed and live-tweeting the overnight workings to keep the students motivated.

“Our participants come from disciplines across campus—engineering, data science, marketing,” Ossom Williamson said. “We are proud to host events like the hackathon that promote a unique sense of community around the common goal of open access and experiential learning.”

UTA Libraries saw dozens of teams register for the event, and despite fears over COVID-19 and the promise of Spring Break, nearly 60 participants soldiered through the twenty-three-hour event (thanks to Daylight Savings). Eight teams comprised of 27 participants submitted work to be reviewed for the hackathon prizes.

“I can’t wait to see what they’re working on,” Williams said. “These students, many of whom have never participated in a hackathon before, are exploring open data in a way that hasn’t been done before. That is the whole point—and it’s inspiring to watch.”

Salgado’s team ultimately decided to resolve concerns related to travel, specifically the need to easily access multiple identifying documents. His team developed a 3D printed card that stores all of a user’s important personal information. Salgado supplied his photo and name for the example, using open data to source the rest of the information on the group’s website.

“We had a brainstorming session for a couple hours trying to decide what to do,” Salgado said. “We decided to tackle the questions very directly, and eventually we decided that easy access to healthcare was a good idea to start with.”

To his surprise, his team and their project took third place in the event, winning prizes totaling $300.

“It was terrific [to find out]!” Salgado said. “I was very happy, and I messaged my team members right away.”

The first prize winners developed a COVID-19 Tracking System that aims to visualize and track reported cases of coronavirus in real time.

See more of Hackathon, and learn about how UTA Libraries is reimagining data, in this video:

Many funding agencies today require data management plans (DMP) to be submitted in part of a research grant proposal. DMPs provide a roadmap for researchers in managing data. Funding agencies use DMPs for reassurance that the data will meet their sharing and openness policies. Institutions use DMPs to meet compliance requirements in preserving data for long-term use.  To write up a successful DMP we must understand what is data management?

Data management is the process of managing data from its entry into the research data lifecycle to when it is finally archived into a data repository and made available for reuse. The research data lifecycle is a helpful framework to understand the different activities required in data management, those activities are planning, creating, processing, analyzing, preserving, and sharing.  If the researcher knows what activity they need to do in each stage of the research data lifecycle process, it helps streamline data management activities.

In the planning stage one must think about the projects goal. What are the desired outputs, outcomes, and impact? What type of data is to be collected? Is the data numeric, text-based, or still images? Think about what format your data will be in. In this preparatory stage you are thinking ahead, so think about data collection procedures, software needed for analyzing the data, documentation in naming conventions and file versioning.

Data creation or what you may also refer to as the data collection and data entry stage. This stage is critical in that you must be consistent and accurate when you collect and enter data. In this process think about where the data is coming from? Is it Quantitative or Qualitative? How is it collected, through a research instrument or observation? What procedures for data entry?

The data processing stage is where you can prepare your data to be analyzed, which usually requires cleaning of your raw data. Remember to always save a copy of your raw data before you begin cleaning as you may want to come back to it later. When cleaning, monitor errors and validate accuracy, this can include minor spelling and syntax errors. Remember, in this process you are removing irrelevant entries and making sure the dataset is organized and ready to be imported into a data analysis software.  Identify duplicate records and remove them.  You may have to convert data from one format to another in order to be imported into your analysis software.

In the analysis stage you take your data and use data analytical tools, for example SAS, Python, and R to run statistical tests and try to find patterns and results in the data to answer your research questions. Think of this stage as extracting value from the data by applying data mining techniques or statistical analysis.

The next stage in the research data lifecycle is preservation of the dataset. Can you think of any research that may benefit from access to your data? Could your data address other research questions? Most likely the answer will be yes, which is one of the reasons we preserve datasets so that they may be of use in the future! Preservation is about ensuring access to data over time in a consistent and reliable form. This sometimes requires data curators to keep the dataset consistent and in formats in which it can be accessed. UTA’s institutional data repository, Mavs Dataverse, offers researchers a place to deposit their data for preservation.

The final stage is sharing your data through a data repository. Sharing data helps make your data available to other researchers. This is also when you may work with the data repository staff on creating metadata for your dataset and help organize and make consistent file formats and ReadMe file for the repository. Having quality metadata helps with reusability. Data repositories, like Mavs Dataverse, standardize citation of datasets to make it easier for researchers to publish their data and get credit as well as recognition for their work!

Good research data management makes your data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR). FAIR principles are achieved through the practice of good data management. UTA Libraries provide Research Data Services (RDS) that can help you with data management planning and walk you through the different stages of the research data lifecycle.

• Read through the Research Data Management LibGuide
• Start creating Data Management Plans with DMPTool
• Visit UTA's Institutional Data Repository: Mavs Dataverse
• Keep up to date on COVID-19 with data visualization dashboard from UTA Libraries
• Reach out for a virtual consultation by emailing hammad.khan@uta.edu

"Open Data Day is an annual celebration of open data all over the world. For the ninth time in history, groups from around the world will create local events on the day where they will use open data in their communities." To celebrate and encourage the use of open data, the UTA Libraries sponsored a hackathon, or a "project marathon," where individuals came together to form groups, come up with an idea, and see that very idea through to completion all in one sitting.

The hackathon website is at opendataday.uta.cloud.

UTA Libraries partnered with Golden Key, and the Association for Information Technology Professionals, two active student groups on campus to facilitate the program throughout the day. Also, a pending student organization, the Society for Artificial Intelligence, partnered with the Libraries to provide support and workshops during the event.

Activities during the Hackathon

During the day of the event, other activities were available to provide participants opportunities to learn, re-energize, collaborate, or just relax. Red Bull provided a refrigerator with a variety of energy drinks, refilled throughout the day. Also, participants had the first opportunity to utilize the new gaming space in the Central Library. The gaming space is equipped with large screens and more popular consoles, like the Playstation 4 and Xbox One, and controllers were checked out and reserved for participants. Oftentimes, working for long stretches of time can lead to mental fatigue and lack of productivity; so, the gaming lounge was a place to decompress and experience a change of scene.

Participants also attended workshops during the hackathon that were led by members of the Society for Artificial Intelligence. One of the workshops was an introduction to artificial intelligence, and it involved great topics, questions, and participation from multiple present parties who contributed their thoughts and ideas around AI processes. 

Other workshops that were offered were an Introduction to GitHub (2 attendees) and a matchmaking event for participants to build teams (no attendees). Since both had little to no turnout, plans are being made to adapt workshop offerings in the future, based on participant suggestions and input.

Event Conclusions

Submissions

The participants were instructed to submit their projects on the ODD@UTA hackathon Devpost site. The site allows for all things hackathon, including finding partners, sharing ideas, conversing, submitting projects, and voting during the public gallery. At the conclusion of the event, the teams rushed to complete their submissions before the deadline, and four submissions were received. Because some teams did not finish and complete their submissions, we may create an opportunity in the future to submit incomplete projects. This will allow for a new competition category where future teams can build upon, fix, or add functionality to projects that were previously submitted.

Submissions can be found here: oddutahack.devpost.com/submissions. The files for the Capping Substance Abuse project are here: project files.

Judging

The judges for the hackathon were leaders in their respective industries who brought their particular knowledge and experiences into the judging process. Dr. J'Vonnah Maryman is Assistant Director of Family Health Services for Tarrant County Public Health Department, and she used her awareness and expertise in health provision and education to assess the usefulness of the tools created. The next judge, John Brink, is a former student who received his MBA from the UTA College of Business.  He has over 10 years of experience in visualization and analytics which was helpful in evaluating the user-friendliness and functionality of what was created. The third judge for the event was Courtney Mumma, Deputy Director of the Texas Digital Library, who has coordinated and judged numerous hackathons and "ideathons" in the past.

Judging took place through the start of the week, followed by verification that teams used open data and abided by the rules of the competition. Winners were awarded prizes, with first place consisting of awards totaling $500, second place received awards totaling $375, and third place received awards totaling $250, split among the individual members of the groups.

Awards

During the awards, the winning teams showed their projects and answered questions about how they formed their teams, split up the work, overcame problems and challenges, and how they built what they created. For an article with interviews with the teams, see the article "Hackathon awards students for creating health-based apps," published in The Shorthorn, the UTA student newspaper. Team information is below along with a link to videos of their presentations.

Videos of the presentations are available here.

For more information about other workshops and events offered by the Libraries' Research Data Services, visit libguides.uta.edu/DAVis. The webpage is updated every semester.

Thanks to the team who put the event together, the individuals who volunteered prior to and during the event, and to the participants for their creativity and hard work on a Saturday during midterms!