Data Foundations - Workshop: Essential Skills & Tools for Modern Data Analysis

About this Event:
Data Foundations - Workshop: Essential Skills & Tools for Modern Data Analysis
In this comprehensive workshop, participants will gain practical experience with fundamental data analysis tools and techniques needed for today's data-driven world. We'll begin by exploring data manipulation using Python's Pandas and visualization with Matplotlib, enabling you to transform raw data into meaningful insights. You'll learn essential data wrangling methods to handle real-world challenges like missing values, outliers, and inconsistent formats.
The workshop continues with SQL fundamentals, where you'll master querying, filtering, and aggregating data from relational databases - skills critical across virtually all data roles. We'll conclude with data visualization best practices, exploring how to select appropriate chart types and use popular tools like Tableau and Power BI to communicate your findings effectively. Whether you're beginning your data journey or refreshing core skills, you'll leave with practical techniques to confidently work with data in any environment.

Speakers Bio:
For Cheng is an adjunct professor at George Fox University, where he teaches Data Analytics. He brings 36 years of industry experience from Intel, where he served in multiple roles including software engineer, marketing manager, program manager, and engineering manager. Throughout his career, he has developed database systems, analytics software, and server management solutions, while also working directly with customers to address pain points and gather requirements.
Dr. Cheng holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Computer Science and Mathematics from the University of Oregon, and further developed his research, business, and management expertise through Babson College's MBA program and George Fox University's Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program. Since joining George Fox University in 2024, he has taught Information System Design and Applied Data Analytics courses. He is passionate about developing others through mentoring, coaching, and teaching.