Data @ Rice Workshop Series

This free workshop series sponsored by Fondren Library and the Center for Research Computing provides hands-on training on the basics of finding, managing, analyzing, visualizing, and sharing data as well as in using research computing resources.

To register, visit the Calendar of Events and Courses or follow the links below.

Don't see a workshop you'd like to attend? Let us know what you'd like to see offered!

Join our researchdata-news mailing list for workshop announcements and data news.

Questions? Contact us at researchdata@rice.edu if you have any questions or want to cancel a class you registered.

Spring 2025: Workshop Schedule

Data Visualization

• Fondren Data Visualization Short Course Showcase (in-person) - Thurs., Jan. 16, 2:30-4 pm
• Fondren Data Visualization Short Course Showcase (Zoom) - Fri., Jan. 24, 10-11:30 am
• Introduction to Tableau Public (in-person) - Fri., Feb. 21, 10-noon

Excel Training Series

• Excel Training Course 1: Excel Basics (Zoom) - Fri., Feb. 7, 12-1:30 pm
• Excel Training Course 2: Data Organization and Visualization  (Zoom) - Fri., Feb. 21, 12-1:30 pm
• Excel Training Course 3: Pivot Tables, Functions, and Formulas (Zoom) - Fri., Mar. 7, 12-1:30 pm
• Excel Pivot Tables - Asynchronous course available anytime on Canvas - Register here and click Enroll

Generative AI

• Ethical Generative AI Use for Researchers - TBA

GIS (Geographic Information System)

Find GIS courses here

Open Government Data for Research 

• Introducing Government Data and Statistics Information Resources (Zoom) - Tues., Feb. 4, 3-4:30 pm
• Introduction to Census Data and Data Tools (Zoom) - Tues., Feb. 25, 3-4:30 pm
• Analyzing and Visualizing Census Data with R (in-person) - Offer on request
• Mapping Census Data in R with ggplot (in-person) - Offer on request
• Navigating World Bank Data and Information Resources (Zoom) - Offer on request
• Navigating Federal Reserve Bank Economic Data and Data Tools (Zoom) - Offer on request

Python Programming Series

• Python Fundamentals - Part 1: Introduction to Programming (in-person) - Fri., Jan. 24, 1-3 pm
• Python Fundamentals - Part 2: Loops and Conditions (in-person) - Fri., Jan. 31, 1-3 pm
• Data Analysis and Visualization with Pandas in Python (in-person) - Fri., Feb. 21, 1-2:30 pm
• Intermediate Text Analysis with Python (in-person) - Tues., April 8, 1-2:30 pm

R Programming Series - Lunch HouR!

On Wednesdays throughout the semester, we invite you to learn the basics of R and dive into programming skills for improving your research reproducibility and workflow!

Each online workshop lasts 45 minutes, is scheduled during the lunch hour (12:05 - 12:50 pm) to accommodate your busy schedule, and focuses on a single topic.  Attend as many workshops as you like; register for individual sessions with the links below.

1. Basics of R and RStudio (Zoom) - Wed., Jan. 15, 12:05-12:50 pm
2. Importing and Indexing Data in R (Zoom) - Wed., Jan. 22, 12:05-12:50 pm
3. Cleaning Data in R - Part 1 (Zoom) - Wed., Jan. 29, 12:05-12:50 pm
4. Cleaning Data in R - Part 2 (Zoom) - Wed., Feb. 5, 12:05-12:50 pm
5. Cleaning Data in R - Part 3 (Zoom) - Wed., Feb. 12, 12:05-12:50 pm
6. Wrangling Data in R with dplyr - Part 1 (Zoom) - Wed., Feb. 19, 12:05-12:50 pm
7. Wrangling Data in R with dplyr - Part 2 (Zoom) - Wed., Feb. 26, 12:05-12:50 pm
8. Programming Basics in R (Zoom) - Wed., Mar. 5, 12:05-12:50 pm
9. Basic Statistics in R - Part 1 (Zoom) - Wed., Mar. 26, 12:05-12:50 pm
10. Basic Statistics in R - Part 2 (Zoom) - Wed., Apr. 9, 12:05-12:50 pm
11. Data Visualization in R - Part 1 (Zoom) - Wed., Apr. 16, 12:05-12:50 pm
12. Data Visualization in R - Part 2 (Zoom) - Wed., Apr. 23, 12:05-12:50 pm

Research Computing Series

• Intro to the Center for Research Computing (and our Services!) (in-person) - Wed., Jan. 22, 2-3 pm
• The World is at your Command….line - Learn basic skills for working with Linux based systems (in-person) - Wed., Jan. 29, 1-4 pm
• Intro to HPC with the Rice NOTS cluster - Updated for the NOTSX expansion (in-person) - Mon., Feb. 10, 12-2 pm
• Introduction to Google Looker Studio: Basics and Integration with Cloud Storage and BigQuery (in-person) - Wed., Feb. 5, 1-2 pm
• Photogrammetry Workshop - Learn how to extract 3D data from overlapping images  (in-person) - Tues., Feb. 4, 2-4 pm
• Experience Builder - Develop Your Application by Connecting it with ArcGIS Online (in-person) - Tues., Feb. 25, 2-4 pm
• Introduction to Rice’s RAPID cluster for machine learning (in-person) - Wed., Feb. 26, 1-3 pm
• Putting it all Together: Example Workflows using Rice's Research Computing and Data Services (in-person) - Wed., Mar. 5, 1-3 pm

Research Data Management

• Managing Your Citations with Zotero (in-person) - Thurs., Jan. 23, 11-12:15 pm
• Managing Your Citations with Zotero (in-person) - Mon., Jan. 27, 11-12:15 pm
• Advanced Zotero (in-person) - Mon., Feb. 3, 11-noon
• Advanced Zotero (in-person) - Thurs., Feb. 6, 11-noon
• How to Manage Your Research Data (in-person) - Tues., Feb. 11, 2-3 pm

Text Analysis

• Introduction to Text Analysis with Voyant (in-person) - Tues., Jan 28, 1-2:30 pm
• Intermediate Text Analysis with Python (in-person) - Tues., April 8, 1-2:30 pm

Software Carpentry - TBA (early May)

RDS offers a two-day Software Carpentry workshop series in early and late summer that teaches foundational coding and data science skills to researchers based on the Carpentries curriculum. The goal is to train and foster an active, inclusive, diverse community that promotes and models the importance of software and data in research.