Abstract: 

The field of data visualization is undergoing rapid growth and is repeatedly recognized as a vital component of effective data science communication. Good data visuals help practitioners make sense of complex patterns, allow for enhanced collaboration among colleagues, and perhaps most importantly, facilitate conversations between specialists and stakeholders in making data-driven decisions. Leveraging off-the-shelf visualization tools can yield massive time savings, but some data stories require special formats and further customization. This workshop focuses on building bespoke visuals with lines of Python code. After a brief introduction to the topic, participants will learn how to generate and style custom visualizations using a variety of Python libraries. Essential plotting libraries like matplotlib and seaborn will be highlighted through a series of increasingly sophisticated examples. Attention will then shift toward building interactive visuals, including a demonstration of Plotly. Participants will gain technical experience with popular Python plotting libraries as well as practical insight about the data visualization thought process.

Bio: 

Kimberly Fessel is a Senior Data Scientist at Metis, the industry’s only accredited, full-time, immersive data science bootcamp. Prior to joining Metis as an instructor, Kimberly worked in digital advertising at MRM//McCann where she focused on helping clients understand their customers by leveraging unstructured data with modern NLP techniques. She holds a Ph.D. in applied mathematics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and completed an NSF-funded postdoctoral fellowship in math biology at the Ohio State University. She is passionate about data storytelling and the power of compelling data visualizations.