Western Growers Science’s Post

Thank you to InformationWeek for sharing Debra Lam's latest insights in her article, "Pioneering Progress Through People-First Data Solutions." At a time when data is often seen as the end all be all, Debra challenges readers to rethink this approach and prioritize the people behind the data. From small farmers in Georgia to disadvantaged communities in Chicago, she shows how real progress happens when we engage communities directly, tailoring solutions to their needs and realities. One example is The University of Georgia’s Ag Tech Program, where farmers helped shape the technology training they received — a true shift toward people-first innovation. And in Chicago, Upstream IL is empowering communities to become key players in tackling water challenges, ensuring innovation is built with their needs in mind. At the heart of it all is the belief that data alone isn’t enough — it’s the human connections and local insights that truly drive lasting change. Check out the full article to learn how a people-first approach is changing the game when it comes to data analytics: https://lnkd.in/eFtii_cT. #PeopleFirstData #InclusiveInnovation #InformationWeek

🎤 Big Data LDN was such a buzz 🔥 Katy Gooblar joined the panel titled "Harnessing Sustainability: Unlocking New Opportunities for Data Leaders in the Green Economy" hosted by the brilliant 🌳 Lisa Rabone - Sustainability in Data (SiD). What's one message you should always keep in the back of your mind? ✅ Data starts with people ✅ To drive success in any project, you need to understand behaviours, motivations and people's personal why ✅ Without leaning into psychological principles, you'll always miss out on opportunities to drive better adoption, collaboration and insight #BigDataLondon #DataLiteracy #DataCulture #DataFluency

Here's my 2024 LinkedIn Rewind, by Coauthor.studio: In 2024, I discovered that data science isn't just about numbers - it's about transforming communities through evidence-based action. From supporting smallholder farmers with USAID to conducting healthcare facility assessments as a Data Champion, each role showed me how data can drive real change when combined with deep community understanding. Key milestones that shaped my journey: • Joined Winrock International to strengthen agricultural extension services through data-driven insights • Led healthcare facility assessment study as Data Champion at Natview Foundation • Completed Women Techster Fellowship in Data Science and AI • Secured multiple roles applying data skills to development projects • Finished NYSC service while maintaining professional growth • Expanded technical expertise through AI and data science certifications Three posts that captured our impact: "New Role at Winrock International" Using data collection to support smallholder farmers and sustainable agriculture "I'll be contributing to the collection and management of data that supports small holder farmers, strengthens agricultural extension services, and promotes sustainable value chains" https://lnkd.in/dcYsgd94 "Data Champion at Natview Foundation" Driving data-driven change through community engagement "I am inspired by Natview Foundation's dedication to fostering data-driven change through its vibrant Data Science Community" https://lnkd.in/d4mtNPNg "YALI Network Service Recognition" Building bridges between technical expertise and community development "This award is a reminder that hard work never goes unnoticed" https://lnkd.in/dRzpFqG6 Looking ahead to 2025: I'm focusing on deepening my impact in data-driven healthcare and agricultural development while continuing to champion women in TECH and STEM. The challenges are complex, but the opportunity to create meaningful change through data has never been greater. To every data professional working to create social impact: Your technical skills are most powerful when combined with genuine community understanding. Let's keep building evidence-based solutions that truly serve people. #DataForGood #MonitoringAndEvaluation #WomenInTech #CommunityDevelopment #LinkedInRewind #2024wrapped

Eight years ago, Ruthie Musker and I had the fortune to have a great conversation with Stanley Wood at the Gates Foundation about the challenges around access to research and development data. At the height of what might now be seen as #opendata hype, the question seemed to not be whether the idea of increasing access to data was a good thing, but how to do it. The major funders of agricultural development research were frankly confused. Many firmly said they wanted to support grantees to better manage and share their data, but messages were very mixed. The FAIR data principles were emerging at the same time but seemed too mechanistic on their own. Where was the human perspective? Where the understanding of how networks work and the value of co-creation? Ruthie and Fiona Smith examined this confusion in a great policy analysis report and in a follow up Stan introduced us to Christian Witt at the foundation. He wanted support to understanding why data wasn’t being shared in some key digital farmer services investments. From 2018 we worked with partners ODI, foundation investments across Africa and South Asia building understanding of what works. Engaging especially in Ethiopia with colleagues Negussie Efa and Mike Rose, GiZ, government, researchers from the CGIAR, and a coalition of willing soil and agronomy data sharers helped firm up our understanding of what could work, and highlighted the value of understanding relationships, institutional culture and policy. From 2020 Tuu-Van Nguyen at the foundation helped us plan for how we might take these insights to scale. In the past couple of years we’ve been working with Jessica Cagley and with the support of Margarita Aswani to move to mainstream insights at the foundation; to boil down that understanding of what is effective into actionable advice. Based on the idea that support to achieve effective data management and sharing needs to be made as simple as possible and that tools need to be embedded in grantmaking processes and real-world context the team guided by Chipo Msengezi in the UK, helped turn the theoretical into the eminently practical tools of the FAIR Process toolkit https://lnkd.in/ehFccRRn The Framework, launched this week, provides a comprehensive suite of tools to support the implementation of FAIR principles across data-rich AgDev projects. This framework is designed to help unlock the full potential of agricultural data, advancing the Gates Foundation’s Open Access commitments to promote data availability, usability, and accessibility. #FAIRdata #OpenAccess #OpenScience #Agriculture #HCD #Systems Leigh Dodds Deborah Yates Ameen Jauhar Cambria Finegold Gary Pitts Melissa Allan Gideon Abegunrin Boma Beddie-Memberr Charlotte Day Henry Mibei Derek Scuffell Alec Griffiths Medha Devare Teklu Erkossa Jijo Akanksha Nagpal Thomas Chaloner, PhD Kathryn Reynolds Dannie Romney Richard Shaw Jaron Porciello On Ki L. Arun Jadhav Ashitha Ganapathy Ashley Farley Lucy Brett

ICYMI Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) DataWorks! offers a range of resources to support data management and sharing in the biological sciences. The DataWorks! Help Desk has several resources to help you find the most appropriate repository for your data - check them out BEFORE the next grant deadline! ⬇️⬇️⬇️ #FASEBDataWorks #Datamanagement #datasharing #datarepository #FAIRdata #skillbuilding

#DataMatters 2024 will take place virtually from August 5-9. Professionals, faculty, and students interested in #datascience across business, research, and government fields are encouraged to register. Learn more at datamatters.org!

🔍 Finding the Right Repository for Your Research Data 🔍 Navigating the landscape of data repositories can be challenging, but it's crucial for ensuring the accessibility and longevity of your research. That's why FASEB DataWorks! has developed comprehensive guides to help you make informed decisions about where to store your valuable data. Explore our guides: 1) A Guide to Choosing a Data Repository for NIH-Funded Research 2) Choosing Your Repository: Doman-Specific vs. Generalist 3) Choosing Your Generalist Repository Ensure your research data is stored safely and accessed widely. Visit the FASEB DataWorks! Help Desk to access these invaluable resources and make the best choice for your data: https://hubs.ly/Q02Gdm-_0 #ResearchData #DataRepositories #FASEBDataWorks #OpenScience #NIHResearch

Thrilled to share our research, "Reimagining Meaningful Data Work through Citizen Science," at CSCW earlier this month!  This was a really great team where things just clicked, a special thanks to Ashley Boone and Annabel Rothschild leading the charge, which allowed us to have deep conversations about how we can approach data work to create more inclusive and rewarding experiences. #CSCW2024 #CitizenScience #DataWork #CrowdWork #MeaningfulWork #HumanCenteredWork We explored how citizen science offers a powerful model for data work that prioritizes human connection and purpose.  1. Traditional data work can often feel isolating and disempowering, but citizen science projects foster collaboration and shared ownership between project managers and volunteers. 2. Citizen Science project managers put a lot of thought and time into create meaningful experiences for volunteers, including aligning project goals with volunteer interests and recognizing contributions. These are few areas (plus more in the paper- https://lnkd.in/ezzDjaVw) where data work requesters should take note and we can all learn a thing or two!

Grateful to be at DataCamp Radar Conference soaking up insights on the ROI of Data Adoption from Tiffany Perkins-Munn, Ph.D., Laura Gent Felker, and Omar Khawaja! 💡 Here are some of my key takeaways: 🌱 Start Small, Scale Smart: When initiating a cultural shift towards data adoption, beginning with a small group can be instrumental. It allows for focused efforts, fine-tuning strategies, and showcasing tangible results before scaling up across the organization. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither is a data-driven culture! 📖 Crafting Compelling Narratives: Data speaks volumes, but it's the story behind the numbers that truly captivates hearts and minds. Learning the art of storytelling not only justifies the need for data-driven decision-making but also entices buy-in from stakeholders across the board. After all, who doesn't love a good story? 💡 Data as an Asset: It's crucial to recognize that data isn't just ones and zeros—it's a valuable asset that can drive innovation, optimize processes, and fuel growth. Treating data with the respect it deserves not only enhances organizational efficiency but also unlocks endless possibilities for future endeavors. Excited to continue the rest of the day of presentations and learning what I can bring back to apply in my current and future roles. #FreetheData #dcradar

We want to contribute not only to the sharing of data, but also of knowledge! That's why today we would like to share our Knowledge Base with you – a collaboratively maintained, constantly growing wiki on various topics related to the management of #biodiversity data. 🌱 🔍 💡 For several years now, numerous experts from research, data management and curation and other fields have been working intensively in NFDI4Biodiversity to make biodiversity data more accessible to everyone – regardless of whether it comes from science, citizen science, public authorities or natural history collections. Over time, we have therefore amassed a considerable pool of knowledge and technical documentations, which we would now like to make available to all other interested parties. In our wiki you will find information on the tools and services for data management provided by the partners in NFDI4Biodiversity, on our data centre network, on the Research Data Commons – our central digital infrastructure –, on legal issues relating to the sustainable storage and use of data & much more. In a new news blog article, Judith Engel presents the Knowledge Base and its contents in more detail: https://lnkd.in/gQR783-u If you want to explore the wiki directly, you can find it here: https://lnkd.in/gdWu27tk We hope you have fun discovering! Also, a big thank you goes out to everyone who fills and maintains the Knowledge Base with us! 🦉 🦉 🦉 #communitypower German National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI) #RDM #FDM #BiodiversityData