Fall 2024 Workshops and Learning Communities
September/October
Using Amazon Web Services for Enhancing Digital Projects
Date and Time: Three session on Tuesdays, September 24th, October 1st, and October 22nd from 11am-1pm.
Location: Central Library Community Room (4th Floor)
Description: Vanderbilt Library’s Digital Lab is collaborating with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to put on this event series that will take a practical and focused look at incorporating the AWS suite of tools into your research. There are many digital projects that faculty are becoming immersed in, and having the skillset of using tools to support these projects such as AWS will help advance the cutting-edge work. In these workshop sessions, you will learn about data mining, image processing, generative AI and prompt engineering. The first day of the workshop will give a beginner’s crash course in cloud engineering and some of the basic AWS services, such as Lambda, S3, DynamoDB, EC2, API Gateway, and Amplify. Your faculty and staff colleagues will share some of the ways AWS tools have been used in their research and work across the university. After learning about the tools, the second day will focus on getting to apply them in hands-on scenarios. No prior programming experience will be required. The workshops will culminate in a third day brainstorming and outlining cross-disciplinary project ideas, with an opportunity for one of these projects to receive seed funding, so whether you already have a digital project in mind or think of one during the workshops, take advantage of this great service being provided. These workshops are welcome to faculty, staff, and students alike, particularly any students who have interest in learning about digital tools/skills. Lunch will be provided at these sections, and seating will be capped at 50 attendees, so please be sure to register no later than September 20th. Registration link to be added.
Spring 2024 Workshops and Learning Communities
January
Introduction to Python with GitHub Copilot 
Date and Time: 6 weekly lessons starting in January, Tuesdays at 1:00 PM starting January 16
Location: Digital Lab classroom (in-person only)
Brief Description: These lessons are designed to get you started with the basics of the Python language. You will learn to code with the assistance of GitHub Copilot, a generative AI-based plugin for VS Code. For more information about all Digital Lab Python lessons including the schedule of sessions and registration information, visit http://vanderbi.lt/py
Text Community of Practice 
Date and Time: ongoing, bi-weekly starting on January 25 through April 18, alternate Thursdays at 12:00 noon central time
Location: Hybrid (Digital Lab and Zoom)
Brief Description: This community welcomes anyone who has an interest in text: acquiring it (through text mining, web scraping, or OCR), wrangling it (creating a corpus, cleaning), and analyzing it (using pre-built tools or code). We work together to learn from each other in an informal setting. If you are interested in learning more about or joining the group, contact steve.baskauf@vanderbilt.edu.
Microcontroller drop-in sessions
Date and Time: one hour weekly, Tuesdays at 12:00 noon central time starting January 16
Location: Digital Lab (in-person only)
Brief Description: If you are interested in single-board computers like Arduino or Raspberry Pi, or microcontrollers such as the QTPy, and you want to interact with people having that common interest, come by the Digital Lab during our microcontroller drop-in sessions. During those sessions we will have hardware available for you to experiment with to build your skills in these technologies. No experience is necessary!
Getting Started with ArcGIS Pro
Date and Time: Wednesday, January 24 (12 – 1pm)
Location: Peabody Room 304 (GIS Lab)
Are you eager to dive into the world of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and harness the capabilities of cutting-edge mapping technology? Look no further! ArcGIS Pro is a powerful and comprehensive Geographic Information System (GIS) software developed by Esri. In this workshop, you will be introduced to the fundamentals of ArcGIS Pro and guided through the basics of navigating the ArcGIS Pro interface, creating captivating maps, and visualizing data with ease. Develop essential skills through guided, hands-on exercise. No previous experience with GIS required!
PolicyMap
Date and Time: Wednesday, January 31 (12 – 1pm)
Location: Peabody Room 304 (GIS Lab)
Vanderbilt University now has access to PolicyMap, a browser-based mapping tool that provides access to a wealth of data concerning physical health, infant and maternal health, uninsured populations, various federal programs, and the location of health facilities such as hospitals and FQHCs. In addition, the tool includes a broad array of data related to Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), such as demographics, income, healthy food access, the economy, housing, public transportation, and more. In this workshop learn how to navigate the site, make a map, compare data, and download data. No previous experience with GIS required!
February
Connecting the Dots: An Introduction to Network Analysis 
Date and Time: Wednesdays 12:00-1:00 p.m. CT. February 21 through March 20
Location: online and Digital Lab (Central Library 402 Suite)
Brief Description: Explore the fundamentals of network analysis in this five-session series. You will learn to construct networks from the ground up and gain proficiency in advanced analytical techniques to reveal complex structures within networks. No prior network analysis experience is necessary. The workshop introduces Gephi and Python, providing practical skills for integrating network analysis into your academic work, research, or personal projects. Inquire with Shenmeng Xu (shenmeng.xu@vanderbilt.edu) for additional information. Please register here (https://vanderbilt.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcrfumoqzMjH9Zl0wxTdn2itCKljdQ2xPpY).
Geocoding
Date and Time: Wednesday, February 7 (12 -1)
Location: Peabody Room 304 (GIS Lab)
Geocoding is the process of transforming a description of a location—such as a pair of coordinates, an address, or the name of a place—to a location on the earth’s surface. You can geocode by entering one location description at a time or by providing many of them at once in a table. Learn how to geocode your own data in this workshop. Make your data mapable! No previous experience with GIS required!
Basic Spatial Statistics
Wednesday, February 14 (12 -1)
Location: Peabody Room 304 (GIS Lab)
Are you ready to elevate your GIS skills to a new level by incorporating the power of spatial statistics? Learn the fundamentals of spatial statistics with an overview of spatial autocorrelation, point pattern analysis, and hot spot analysis. No previous experience with GIS required!
Getting started with QGIS
Wednesday, February 21 (12 -1)
Location: Peabody Room 304 (GIS Lab)
In this workshop, you will learn to use raster and vector data in this powerful (free to use) open-source GIS. Users will have a brief introduction to the QGIS interface and will learn basic GIS methods. No previous experience with GIS required!
Exploring ArcGIS Online (web mapping)
Wednesday, February 28 (12 -1)
Location: Peabody Room 304 (GIS Lab)
From webmaps, webapps, dashboards, to Storymaps. See how this mapping platform can work for your research. No previous experience with GIS required!
March
Mapping Science and Scholarship: An Introduction to Bibliometric Networks 
Date and Time: Wednesdays 12:00-1:00 p.m., CT. March 27 through April 10
Location: online and Digital Lab (Central Library 402 Suite)
Brief Description: Dive into the core of bibliometric network analysis across three immersive sessions. You will learn to collect data and use VOSviewer to visualize intellectual linkages (citation networks), science collaborations (co-authorship networks), and research landscapes (topical networks). Prior familiarity with network analysis is beneficial but not required for this workshop. Inquire with Shenmeng Xu (shenmeng.xu@vanderbilt.edu) for additional information. Please register here (https://vanderbilt.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMkduqrrDssG9OXqeByOrx8abyNk_GOuJy-).
Intro to Remote Sensing (Spatio-temporal change with imagery)
Date and Time: Wednesday, March 27 (12 -1)
Location: Peabody Room 304 (GIS Lab)
Remote Sensing imagery (satellite, airborne, drone, etc.) can be used for studying change over time on the earth’s surface. Studies in climate change, urban and built environment, and environmental applications often use remote sensing and image analysis to show how the Earth has changed and its implications. This workshop will discuss terminology and how to do a basic image analysis between multiple dates of imagery in ArcPro. No previous experience with GIS required!
Fall 2023 Workshops and Learning Communities
September
Introduction to R
Dates/Times: Wednesdays 1:00-2:00 PM CT. August 30 through October 4
Location: online only
Brief Description: These lessons are designed to get you started using R through the popular RStudio interface. The lessons will introduce R data structures and will teach the basics of manipulating data, calculating basic statistics, and making simple plots. For more information about all Digital Lab R lessons including the schedule of sessions and registration information, visit http://vanderbi.lt/r
ArcPro
Wednesday, September 6
1:00 – 2:00 pm
Peabody Room 304 (Computing Lab)
ArcGIS Pro is a widely used GIS software that provides advanced tools for spatial analysis, data management, visualization, and more. This ArcGIS Pro workshop will focus on teaching participants how to effectively use ESRI’s ArcGIS Pro software for various GIS tasks and applications. Please register here.
Finding and mapping demographic data
Wednesday, September 20
1:00 – 2:00 pm
Peabody Room 304 (Computing Lab)
Finding socio-economic and demographic data can sometimes be challenging. Once you get the data, how do you map it? In this workshop, the attendees will not only learn how to extract data from social explorer, but how to map that data in ESRI’s ArcPro. Please register here.
Connecting the Dots: An Introduction to Network Analysis
Dates/Times: Thursdays 1:00-2:00 p.m. CT. Sep 28 through Oct 26
Location: online and Digital Lab (Central Library 402 Suite)
Brief Description: Join our dynamic five-session series and dive into the fundamentals of network analysis. Discover the power of Gephi as you craft networks from the ground up, and master advanced analytical techniques to unveil intricate structures within complex networks. No prior network analysis experience needed! This workshop is your gateway to integrating network analysis into your coursework, research, or personal projects. Inquire with Shenmeng Xu for additional information. Please register here.
October
ArcGIS Online
Wednesday, October 4
1:00 – 2:00 pm
Peabody Room 304 (Computing Lab)
Attendees will learn how to search, find, and share geographic content in ESRI’s online mapping platform. The workshop will provide the fundamental skills necessary to create, design, and share web maps, as well as use some of the various geoprocessing tools currently offered via the online application. Please register here.
Storymaps
Wednesday, October 18
1:00 – 2:00 pm
Peabody Room 304 (Computing Lab)
ESRI StoryMaps workshops are ideal for anyone interested in creating engaging and informative narratives that incorporate spatial context. StoryMaps allow users to combine maps, text, images, videos, and other multimedia elements to tell engaging stories with a spatial context. Participants will learn how to effectively use the StoryMaps platform to convey information, educate audiences, and share stories in an interactive and visually appealing manner. Please register here.
Introduction to Python with GitHub Copilot
Dates/Times: Wednesdays 1:00-2:00 PM CT. October 25 through December 6
Location: online and Digital Lab
Brief Description: These lessons are designed to get you started with the basics of the Python language. You will learn to code with the assistance of GitHub Copilot, a generative AI-based plugin for VS Code. For more information about all Digital Lab Python lessons including the schedule of sessions and registration information, visit http://vanderbi.lt/py
Data visualization with ggplot
Dates/Times: Wednesdays 11:00 AM-noon CT. October 25 through December 6
Location: online and Digital Lab
Brief Description: This is a series of intermediate-level lessons on using the ggplot, the popular R data visualization library. You will learn the basics of creating a variety of plots, learn how to control their features, and will have a brief introduction to interactive visualizations using Shiny. For more information about all Digital Lab R lessons including the schedule of sessions and registration information, visit http://vanderbi.lt/r
November
Open Tools for GIS
Wednesday, November 1st
1:00 – 2:00 pm
Peabody Room 304 (Computing Lab)
This workshop will introduce participants: to basic terms and concepts of open source, open data; open access; several open tools for GIS and mapping work; and resources for learning more about each tool. Tools covered include QGIS, Open Street Map, and R. Please register here.
Mapping Science and Scholarship: An Introduction to Bibliometric Networks
Dates/Times: Thursdays 1:00-2:00 p.m., CT. Nov 2 through Nov 16
Location: online and Digital Lab (Central Library 402 Suite)
Brief Description: Dive into the core of bibliometric network analysis across three immersive sessions. You will learn to use VOSviewer to visualize intellectual linkages (citation networks), science collaborations (co-authorship networks), and research landscapes (topical networks). Prior familiarity with network analysis is beneficial but not required for this workshop. Inquire with Shenmeng Xu for additional information. Please register here.
GIS Day
Wednesday, November 15
Details to come.
Accessing and Georeferencing Scanned Maps
Wednesday, November 29
1:00 – 2:00 pm
Peabody Room 304 (Computing Lab)
Scanned images of early maps and aerial photography often provide an ideal historical backdrop for contemporary geospatial data. Georeferencing is the process of taking a digital image, it could be an aerial photo, a scanned geologic map, or a picture of a topographic map, and adding geographic information to the image so that GIS or mapping software can ‘place’ the image in its appropriate real-world location. Attendees will learn how to find historic maps and perform georeferencing. Please register here.
Learning Communities
Text Analysis Community of Practice
Dates/Times: Meets every two weeks according to the schedule below.
Location: online and Digital Lab (Central Library 402 Suite)
This group provides an informal opportunity to learn together about topics related to text acquisition and analysis. The exact topics will depend on the interests of participants, but may include text mining, web scraping, extracting text from images and audio, handwriting recognition, building a corpus, entity recognition, sentiment analysis, and using Large Language Models for text analysis. Sessions will be led by group participants.
The meeting dates and times for the fall semester are:
Wed 2 PM Sep 6
Tue 11 AM Sep 19
Wed 2 PM Oct 4
Tue 11 AM Oct 17
Wed 2 PM Nov 1
Tue 11 AM Nov 14
Wed 2 PM Nov 29
Tue 11 AM Dec 12
For more information, Zoom link, or a calendar invitation, contact steve.baskauf@vanderbilt.edu