Our aim is to make your research and work life
easier!
The DataSquad can grapple with simple to thorny data
tasks and problems on your behalf.
If there is a more efficient and programmatic way to
address your goal, we will figure it out and lend a
hand.
The DataSquad is a team of students who support data
related projects at Carleton.
Our mission is to facilitate data processes for
sustainable, replicable, and reproducible research,
teaching, presentation, and workflows.
Members of the DataSquad do not create, interpret,
analyze, dictate, or otherwise change the nature of
data sets outside of the prescribed task.
The DataSquad is a part of Information Technology
Services by way of Academic Technology. We also
participate in Carleton College’s coordinated
Curricular & Research Data Services.
- Managing the mechanics of
accessing data (APIs)
- Setting up a Dataverse, a course
space in Tableau Online, Git or
GitHUB repository
- Consulting on data programming
languages and strategies (Python, R,
Java, etc.)
- Data cleaning processes and
constructing code-based solutions to
data cleaning problems.
- Identifying metadata strategies
and tools.
Database Design & Data Development
- Gathering data sets from multiple
sources & handing them back over to
the researcher
- Working with data capture or
management tools like Qualtrics,
Google Forms, Filemaker Pro, Acrobat
Pro, etc.
- Accessing data warehouses using
SQL or other language support
Data Visualization
- Creating data visualizations with
tools such as Tableau, R & GGplot, R
& Shiny, Python & libraries, Excel,
Google charts, Plotly & other
web-based tools
- Consulting on data visualization
strategies - In collaboration with
the QRC tutors, support curricular
projects using data visualization
techniques - Create
publication-ready data
visualisations for publications by
campus authors
Reproducibility Testing & Data
Lifecycle Management
- Verifying code and data
completeness to assure
reproducibility (in client-produced
prepublications & assignments) -
Convert proprietary statistical code
and output into open-source language
and non-proprietary/archival formats
- Provide support in metadata
documentation; codebook and data
dictionary production - Helping
researchers understand how to manage
their data through each phase in the
lifecycle of their research
Lin Winton
I'm Dr. Lin Winton, director of the new
Quantitative Resource Center at Carleton
College. I work with faculty and staff
all over campus to help students engage
more deeply with the numbers in their
worlds, from astronomy to art. I earned
my PhD in Molecular Biology from The
University of Texas at Austin in 2011. I
have worn many hats since then: faculty
member, academic counselor, learning
management software consultant, QR
program coordinator.
Even though I am not a mathematician or
statistician, in every role, I have
needed to reason quantitatively to
succeed! My abilities to think
logically, problem-solve creatively, see
patterns, and work with data are
constantly challenged to grow and adapt,
both in my professional life and my
civic life. I oversee the DataSquad
students as they provide drop-in and
appointment assistance to students who
are challenging their own quantitative
skills and reasoning abilities in their
Carleton coursework and research
projects.
