May - Data Wrangling & Visualization of Public / Government Data

This month's topic will focus on using open government / public data for processing / visualization. We have one speaker, but it would be good to get a few more speakers to talk about their experience.

USGS NWIS Data Processing / Visualization (John Clune)

Many government agencies like U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have a mission to provide public access to the data they collect. The USGS has made great strides in making the data it collects easily accessible via the National Water Information System (NWIS) for extraction and visualization through the most commonly used programming languages, statistical software and BI tools available. This presentation provides an overview of how some of these tools can be used for continuous and discrete hydrologic data maintenance and exploratory analysis to better provide scientific views and insights at various resolutions.

Processing and Visualizing FEC (Federal Election Commission) Data (Timothy Hathaway)

There are datasets that are made available to the public. One such set of information published by the government, which is usually questioned every 2-4 years is the FEC data set. Activist Manager, a maker of workflow tools for campaigns and non-profits, used graph database to understand and process information for their needs. This presentation will cover why a graph database (Neo4j) was needed for their industry and why relational data as a final product wouldn’t cut it. They'll also cover why they chose to use the FEC datasets as the relational source on the path to the graph, and the various products they developed from it.

Speakers

John Clune

Current Research

Currently the principle investigator in Pennsylvania for the Bradford County Groundwater Baseline Study and Glaciated Regional Curves Project. Provided research in Maryland/Delaware for the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program, USGS Priority Ecosystems, Chesapeake Bay Presidential Executive Order Small Watershed Studies, Bucks Branch Conservation Effectiveness, Principal Aquifer Assessment (PAA), Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) and Lake Linganore Sediment and Phosphorus Study. Provided research previously in Pennsylvania for the EPA Nitrogen Source Tracking, Mid-Atlantic Nutrient Criteria, Pennsylvania Pesticides and Ground Water Strategy (PPGWS), Emerging Contaminants and Fish Health in PA Waters, Susquehanna River Small Mouth Bass Mortality and Schuylkill River Acid Mine Drainage Study.

Other Related Experience

Adjunct professor for stream ecology at York College, PA. Provided research for the National Park Service (Grand Teton), US Army Corps of Engineers, University of Pittsburgh, Queens University Belfast, UTC Pratt and Whitney and Lackawanna Conservation District.

Timothy Hathaway

Nearly 20 years experience providing the full range of Political Technology to Presidential campaigns, PAC’s and non-profit groups. Has done cutting edge work with political data has been published in trade journals, taught in college courses and cited in academic research. Expert on political technology.

Specialties: Political Data, FEC Compliance, Campaign Operations and Internet Infrastructure