Data Group to Explore Impact of “Where” in Data-based Decision Making

The Connecticut Data Collaborative (CTData) will be delving into geography, and how it might impact and influence equity in data-based decision making, at a session later this month of its Equity in Data Community of Practice.

Geography is the “science of where.” And while many of us consume maps when we explore the news, COVID cases and vaccines, and elections, we may not think to ask “how does ‘where’ matter” in our own data explorations.

“Yet when we are considering applying an equity lens to data work, ‘where’ does matter,” explains Sarah Eisele-Dyrli, Assistant Director of the Connecticut Data Collaborative. “Patterns may be hidden in plain sight in our data that we don’t see unless we ask ourselves whether ‘where’ matters. There is also an ethical component, as looking at ‘where’ has the potential to harm people who may already be disenfranchised. There is promise and peril, so it is important to apply principles of ethics in our spatial explorations of data.”

Connecticut's Equity in Data Community of Practice, organized by the Connecticut Data Collaborative, is a steadily growing group of data users across the state, in the public and private sector, who are working toward more equitable data practices. The ad hoc group, which began two years ago amidst the pandemic with a focus on racial equity, explicitly but not exclusively, has grown from a handful initially to more than 300 data users in numerous disciplines and fields who have participated in various sessions.

The virtual session, How does 'where' matter?, will be held on October 18, 11:30 – 1:00 PM. Members of the group – which was formed in 2020 and has continued to add participants - serve in many roles related to data, including data analysts, evaluators, or researchers, to data coordinators and GIS analysts, to program managers, case managers, and administrative staff. There is no charge to participate in the sessions, which continue to be held monthly, and virtually.

On October 18, panelists leading the interactive discussion will be Alfredo Herrera, Connecticut’s first Geographic Information Officer, and Yaprak Onat, the Assistant Director of Research for the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA).

CTData is a public-private partnership that advocates for the public availability of open and accessible data. CTData works throughout Connecticut with nonprofits, advocates, policymakers, community groups, and funders to further the use of data to drive policy and improve programs and services, budgeting and decision-making at the state, regional and local levels.

A community of practice is a group of people with common work or interests who talk about theory and practice issues to improve their work. Group members each possess different skill levels and knowledge and also come with a common belief that they can learn from and contribute to one another. Each month, group members select a topic or article for discussion, and invite guests to help participants explore the topic. Guest speakers on October 18:

• Yaprak Onat is the Assistant Director of Research for the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA). She coordinates the planning, development, design, implementation, and evaluation of flood risk mitigation projects for coastal resilience and engages in workshops and training to improve science communication for capacity-building activities.
• Alfredo Herrera earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Urban Planning and Certificate of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) from Arizona State University in 2010 and a Master of Science in Aviation Management with a focus on automating change detection from remotely sensed imagery. In Connecticut, his various roles include IT, Facilities Management consulting, Municipal GIS consulting, and Municipal GIS administration and coordination. He is currently the Geographic Information Officer for the State of Connecticut.

Striving for informed decision-making across Connecticut, CTData seeks to empower an ecosystem of data users by democratizing access to public data and building data literacy. Among its areas of responsibility, CTData has been designated as the lead organization for the State of Connecticut in the U.S. Census Bureau’s State Data Center Program and as Connecticut’s official source for data related to the 2020 Census. CTData also works with nonprofit organizations to develop CTData Strategic Plans© to map out their use of data to further organizational missions.

CT Data also runs the CTData Academy, providing opportunities for individuals, businesses and organizations to become more informed data users and critical data consumers. The Data Academy accomplishes this through informational sessions and workshops throughout the year to help participants become more comfortable with using and disseminating data.

CTData offices are located on Constitution Plaza in downtown Hartford; additional information and access to more than 200 datasets is available on the website at www.ctdata.org.