Campus Events
Who’s Your Data and the Other 4 W’s of Data, 2025-2026
Datafest 2026 – April 9-13
Looking for some data technology help?
The Data Nexus Technology Ambassadors offer in person (on the 1st Floor of Belk Library, in the open center area) and online office hours online.
Technology Ambassador Office Hours for Spring2026
The table below are the current office hours. More hours will be added soon.
| AI Tools | Dedoose | Excel | Java | PowerBI | Python | R | SAS | SQL | Tableau | |
| Monday | 4-6 | 4-6 | 4-6 | 4-6 | 4-6 | 4-6 | ||||
| Tuesday | ||||||||||
| Wednesday | 4-6 | 4-6 | 4-6 | 4-6 | 4-6 | 4-6 | ||||
| Thursday |
2025-2026 Events
April 10 | The Power of Data-Driven Insights in the Business of Sports
Featuring : Ryan Meizinger ’17, Relo Metrics, Director Insights and Strategic Services
WHEN: April 10 from 4:30-5:30, Where: Founders Hall Atrium
Sign up Today!
Description: This is a general audience talk with a practical context of sports sponsorship data and the power of data-driven decision-making in modern sports business. The speaker will highlight (1) the sports sponsorship ecosystem – how brands, teams, leagues, and media platforms interact in a multi-billion-dollar marketplace, (2) how sponsorship value is measured – the role of data in evaluating media exposure, audience reach, and ROI, (3) how companies like Relo Metrics measure brand visibility across broadcasts, social media, and digital platforms, (4) the role of AI in sports analytics – how technologies like computer vision are transforming media and sponsorship measurement, and (5) careers at the intersection of sports, media, and data – how analytical skills translate into real-world opportunities across industries.
Data Fest Team Challenge : April 10-13!
The Datafest Team Challenge will be on April 10-13. Sign up Today! Only 15 spots left!
March 16 | 12:15 | Alamance 302 | Lunch and Learn led by Drs. Kleintop and Wigger
Lunch and Learn – Kleintop and Wigger – 3-16-26 (002) (1)
Lunch and Learn next Monday, March 16th at 12:15 in Alamance 302. We will be discussing the work we have been doing to engage students in transcribing historical data from US Slave Claims Commissions records, which crosses over with many of the ongoing conversations we started with this group last spring. Seating is limited, so please register here if you’re able to join us!
Data Fest Creative AI & Image Contest : April 10-13!
Participate in a unique AI fun data challenge through the Data Fest AI & Image Contest. See more and sign up today!https://www.elon.edu/u/academics/data-nexus/wp-admin/post-new.php?post_type=elon_component
Data Nexus Book Club Lunch | April 10 and April 24
Data Nexus Book Club
This spring we are reading Indigenous Statistics
We will meet to discuss and have lunch: April 10 and April 24 from 12:30 – 1:30, Where: Duke 304
Here’s the free downloadable link: https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/98670
April 15 | Causal Inference Workshop
Causal Inference Workshop
April 15 | Duke 304 | 12:30-1:30 | Sign Up Today!
Description: Correlation does not imply causation… but what does? In this workshop, we will delve into what causality is, why it’s something we may want to know about, and what makes it so hard to actually observe in the real world. We’ll end with an overview of some of the common and creative ways that researchers, particularly in the social sciences, work to overcome these challenges. Participants can expect to learn to think a bit more clearly about questions of cause and effect, whether in research or our everyday lives.
Open to all! This workshop is designed for all experience levels and backgrounds.
Topics:
Defining causality
Identifying “a cause” vs. “the cause”
Thinking in potential outcomes and counterfactuals
What correlations obscure
Common and creative solutions
April 21 | “Human-in-the-Loop” Thematic Analysis: Using R to Apply Current Recommendations for Incorporating LLMs into Qualitative Research (online)
April 21 @ 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. Online. Sign up!
Video Archived Events and Workshops
Qualitative Research Series - Session 1
Qualitative Analysis for Quantitative People: Getting Started in Qualitative Research
This session aims to provide a foundational understanding of qualitative research for those more familiar with quantitative methods. We’ll explore the basics of qualitative research, including its philosophical foundations and methodological approaches. Participants will be introduced to various theories applicable to qualitative research, offering them a broader perspective for their studies. We’ll also cover the essential concept of coding qualitative data, equipping attendees with practical skills to better navigate this aspect of qualitative research. This workshop is designed to help participants venture into the world of qualitative research with confidence.
Note: This is one of four sessions being offered about qualitative research. Sessions 2, 3, and 4 will teach participants how to use Dedoose for qualitative research. Participants are welcome to attend any or all of these workshops. You are not required to come to all of them.
Led by Heather Barker, Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Statistics
Co-sponsored by Data Nexus and the Center for Writing Excellence
Qualitative Research Series - Session 2
Software Tools for Qualitative Analysis: An Introduction to Dedoose
In this session, we will walk you through the essential steps of using Dedoose, a powerful qualitative analysis tool. We’ll begin with data preparation, ensuring your research materials are ready for analysis. Then, we’ll provide an overview of Dedoose, highlighting its key features and benefits. You’ll learn how to import your data into the platform, how to create parent and child codes, and how to code your data. We’ll also delve into memoing, an invaluable practice for capturing insights and reflections. Additionally, we’ll explore Dedoose’s collaborative features, enabling you to work efficiently with your research team.
Note: This is one of four sessions being offered about qualitative research. Sessions 2, 3, and 4 will teach participants how to use Dedoose for qualitative research. Participants are welcome to attend any or all of these workshops. You are not required to come to all of them.
Led by Heather Barker, Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Statistics
Co-sponsored by Data Nexus and the Center for Writing Excellence
Participants should bring their laptops with Dedoose installed. Elon faculty can download Dedoose for a 30 day free trial. We’ll discuss how you can request a permanent version of Dedoose from Elon at the workshop (add this to each description).
Qualitative Research Series - Session 3
Using Dedoose to Explore Patterns, Relationships, and Findings
In this session, we will dive into the advanced features of Dedoose, demonstrating how to use descriptors to uncover and examine relationships within your qualitative data. You’ll gain valuable insights into how to identify and analyze connections between themes, categories, and concepts. Furthermore, we’ll showcase the power of creating data visualizations within Dedoose, allowing you to visually map and explore patterns that may have otherwise remained hidden. This session will be helpful for researchers looking to elevate their qualitative analysis and gain a deeper understanding of their data.
Note: This is one of four sessions being offered about qualitative research. Sessions 2, 3, and 4 will teach participants how to use Dedoose for qualitative research. Participants are welcome to attend any or all of these workshops. You are not required to come to all of them.
Led by Heather Barker, Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Statistics
Co-sponsored by Data Nexus and the Center for Writing Excellence
Participants should bring their laptops with Dedoose installed. Elon faculty can download Dedoose for a 30 day free trial. We’ll discuss how you can request a permanent version of Dedoose from Elon at the workshop (add this to each description).
Music as Data: Probability and Machine Learning in Country, R&B, and Beyond - Part 1
Understanding Musical Data, April 10, 2025 – Dr. Christopher White, Associate Professor of Music Theory, UMASS Amherst
Participants will explore musical corpora—large collections of encoded music in a particular style—by analyzing patterns and structures in real-world compositions. Through guided exercises using simple Google Sheets, participants will learn how to: (1) Examine musical distributions (how often certain musical events appear) and (2) Identify transition probabilities (how likely one section of music will follow another).
The Indigenous Perspective Praxis
The Indigenous Perspective Praxis: Holistic Data Science Workflow Designs for Building Community Partnerships, Education and Citizen Engagement.
Featured Speaker : Dr. Joseph Robertson
When: September 23rd, 4:30-5:30pm
Description:The Indigenous Perspective Praxis is Mato Ohitika Analytics LLC’s most recent work in bringing theory to practice using data science workflows to solve community challenges. This interdisciplinary concept connects to Dr. Robertson’s doctoral work in using the Data Sovereignty Initiative framework to educate communities on the ethical examination of how to bridge science and culture.Dr. Robertson will present key topics on data sovereignty, tribal governance, data and artificial intelligence ethics and will demonstrate how to design and build ethical systems using data science.
Biography: Dr. Joseph Robertson is an enrolled member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation and is the founder and Chief Data Scientist of Mato Ohitika Analytics LLC (MOA).Dr. Robertson’s commitment to speak with students, faculty, community members, and grass roots organizations about his work is part of Mato Ohitika Analytics LLC’s broader educational and citizen science initiatives to bring the Indigenous Perspective praxis’s holistic data science workflow designs to underrepresented communities and to provide equitable access through building academic, cultural, and community partnerships.Dr. Robertson holds a PhD in Computational Science and Statistics and a Master of Science in Statistics from South Dakota State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Colorado State University.
Unlocking Your Data Potential : Creating a Data Portfolio
Unlocking Your Data Potential : Creating a Data Portfolio, October 31, 2024 with Stephen Morris ’11 (AWS), Lee Rainie (Imagining the Digital Future Center), and Ellie Najewicz (IBM).
What to include in your portfolio, finding support to create a portfolio, and how to highlight the digital world.