Workshops 2024
Join the Data & Democracy Workshops Aug 2024! This series is designed to empower election officials, policy professionals, and researchers to undertake data-driven projects that bolster free and fair elections. Learn Python, R, Opensource GIS for electoral innovation, and dive into queuing theory, optimize resources. Presented by the Spatial Analytics and Visualization Institute (SAVI) at San José State University and the Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN), each three-hour workshop features a combination of short lectures on conceptual and theoretical knowledge, lab sessions and exercises. Plus, graduates can participate in GIS Day at San José State in November, 2024 (registration opens in August). Promo Codes NONPROFIT2024 - Anyone who uses this code will be asked for their EIN. Community organizations should use this one. SJSUALUM2024 - SJSU alumni. Anyone who uses this code will be asked for the college and graduation year. SJSUSAVI2024 - Current SJSU faculty and students. Anyone who uses this code will be verified through their email address. If it's not sjsu.edu I'll contact them to verify they can use this code. Workshop attendees will earn completion badges as well as 3 AICP CM credits per each workshop
Data & Democracy Project Team
Judi Heher - Data & Democracy Program Manager
Judi is an educator and independent GIS consultant. She has developed online mapping applications focused on cultural outreach and non-profit VOAD/COAD organizations. Judi loves the combination of critical thinking and creativity GIS requires of those who tell data-related stories on a visual canvas. When Judi is not working, you can find her developing on-the-fly STEM curricula for young children, aka playing with her grandkids.
Dr. Ahoura Zandi - Democracy & Data Project Lead
Dr. Zandi(atashbar) is an Urban and Regional Planning Assistant Professor and Co-Founder/Director of the Spatial Analytics and Visualization Institute (SAVI) and founder of the upcoming MS GISc program at San José State University (SJSU), where his research focuses on micro-level analysis of U.S. high-tech zones and the role of urban form in the equitable robust knowledge economy and healthy communities. Dr. Zandi has authored more than 20 peer-reviewed articles and a book, Urban High-Tech Zones. He is the winner of the People’s Choice Best Research Award from the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning and the First Place Award from the United States Environmental Protection Agency in the 2015 Campus RainWorks Challenge.
Rick Kos - Data & Democracy Project Co-Lead
Rick’s professional skills encompass many facets of urban and regional planning, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and education. He has taught graduate-level GIS and urban planning courses at San José State University. Rick offers introductory and advanced-level GIS courses with a strong emphasis on technological and project management skills sought by today’s employers. He has managed large teams of graduate students to produce maps and conduct spatial analysis for many clients in the South Bay including the City of San Jose Planning Department, Health Trust, Catholic Charities, the City of Mountain View Planning Department, Sustainable San Mateo, and CommUniverCity San José.
Dr. John Curiel - Workshop Curriculum Advisor
John Curiel is a Senior Research Analyst with YouGov’s Survey Research Group. He earned his PhD in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in August of 2019. He previously spent two years as research director with the MIT Elections Data and Science Lab (MEDSL), and an assistant professor of Political Science at Ohio Northern University. Dr. Curiel focuses on employing spatial, time series, and Bayesian methods to measure how electoral institutions mediate the fairness and integrity of elections and ensuing representation.
