About the Event 

Python is one of the most widely used programming languages across various fields, particularly excelling in data analysis and visualisation. Following the success of our previous Python workshop, which introduced Python as both a programming language and a valuable analytical tool in social science research, we are excited to offer an expanded, two-day workshop this February. This workshop will provide participants with a practical introduction to Python, covering the essential elements of a typical Python workflow. Topics will include exploring datasets, performing basic summary statistics, creating visualizations, and exporting results. Participants will have the opportunity to follow along with the instructor’s demonstrations and engage in hands-on practice, both individually and in groups, through simple exercises designed to build confidence in using Python. Certificates of completion will be awarded to all participants. 

Our Instructor 

The workshop will be led by Dr Danai Korre, a lecturer in computer science at the School of Computer Science and Technology, University of Bedfordshire. Dr. Korre is an experienced researcher in computer science with an extensive background in teaching various subjects, particularly programming languages for data analysis.  

To provide additional support during individual and group exercises, two PhD students from the University of Edinburgh Medical School, Bartłomiej Chybowski and Diego Chillón, will assist attendees throughout the workshop.  

When & Where   

The workshop will take place online via Zoom on Monday 24 and Tuesday 25 February, from 9:30 till 14:30 (UK time). 

Requirements   

No prior knowledge of Python is needed to participate; however, installing Anaconda Navigator is required to take the most out of the workshop, especially to participate in the exercises. It can be downloaded from the Anaconda website, with the installation process best explained in this You Tube video. The SSI team will help with possible installation issues on your personal or workplace device. There will be open drop-in sessions hosted a week before the workshop.  

About the Event 

Social scientists increasingly rely on industry-developed tools to conduct research. However, these tools are often not designed with academic purposes in mind, requiring researchers to make adaptations that come with inherent limitations. Recently, the practice of researchers developing tools specifically for research has gained traction in certain social science fields. In this talk, I will explore the development of academictwitteR, a widely used R package for collecting Twitter data, as a case study to reflect on its advantages, challenges, and the key lessons researchers can draw from engaging in research software development. 

Our Speaker 

Dr Justin Chun-ting Ho is a postdoctoral researcher at the Amsterdam School of Communication Research. His methodological research focuses on the development and evaluation of computational tools for social science research. 

When & Where 

The talk will take place online via Zoom on Wednesday, 5 March, from 14:00 to 15:00 (UK time), followed by a 30-minute Q&A session with the speaker. Participants will have the opportunity to submit questions before the talk, to be answered in the Q&A session. If time allows, questions asked during the event will also be considered. The talk will be recorded and later made available on the SSI website and YouTube channel. 

About the Event 

Modern research often demands technical and methodological expertise beyond that of a single researcher, making collaboration essential, yet early-career staff and research students in the social sciences may be unaware of the support systems available both within and beyond their host institutions. This talk will explore university-level services, including library resources, research computing, and training opportunities. We will also discuss opportunities for finding collaborators outside your department, such as interdisciplinary research groups, institutional networks, and professional associations, with examples from the UK and beyond. 

Our Speaker 

Roxanne Guildford is a finishing PhD Candidate in Archaeology and a PhD Affiliate with the Centre for Data, Culture & Society. Her research interests include interdisciplinary methodologies, collaboration between SHAPE and STEM disciplines, and digital skills training for the humanities and social sciences. 

When & Where 

The talk will take place online via Zoom on Wednesday, 12 March, from 14:00 to 15:00 (UK time), followed by a 30-minute Q&A session with the speaker. Participants will have the opportunity to submit questions before the talk, to be answered in the Q&A session. If time allows, questions asked during the event will also be considered. The talk will be recorded and later made available on the SSI website and YouTube channel. 

About the Event 

High quality data science work must be reproducible. The ability to repeat experiments under reproducible conditions is the foundation of all science, and this principle should apply to code driven science as well. Creating and maintaining consistent environments allows for easier team collaboration (even if it's just you!) and project validation since your team will have a source of truth, documenting the project environment and its dependencies. This becomes critical when developing code to be rerun in the future for tasks like processing data updates or handling scheduled jobs such as reporting. 

Our Speaker 

The talk will be delivered by Harry Peaker. Harry is a senior data scientist at Smart Data Foundry. He has a BSc in mathematics from the University of Edinburgh and a background in bioinformatics and the use of data science and statistics in healthcare. He has worked with research hospitals and clinical trial groups as well as conducting data-based quality assurance for the development of diagnostic devices. He has a particular interest in data visualisation and the development of dashboards or applications to communicate the results of data analysis. 

When & Where 

The talk will take place online via Zoom on Thursday, 13 March, from 13:30 to 14:30 (UK time), followed by a 30-minute Q&A session with the speaker. Participants will have the opportunity to submit questions before or during the talk, to be answered in the Q&A session. The talk will be recorded and later made available on the SSI website and YouTube channel. 

Necessary Software 

While not required, it is advisable to have access to either an R or Python coding environment, an IDE like RStudio, VSCode, Positron or Jupyter. 

About the Event 

Notebooks are great and all, but how do you create a record of your work? Quarto is a fantastic tool which behaves in a similar way to a notebook, but works with an executable script. Executable scripts are more reliable and better for reproducibility. Quarto also creates publication quality output in many formats, for example html (websites), pdf, Word docs, epub and more. Quarto is easy to use and combines text written in Markdown, with code chunks written in popular languages like Python and R. Come to this talk to learn how you can get started and take your work to the next level with ease. 

Our Speaker 

The talk will be delivered by Dr Mike Spencer. Mike leads the research data science team at Smart Data Foundry and has a background in climate, the environment, economics and social science. His previous work has included agriculture, supply chains, rural economy, hydrology, digital skills and social services. He has a PhD from the University of Edinburgh in snow hydrology and a BSc in Environmental Science from Lancaster University. Mike is a fellow of the Royal Statistical Society, a member of the Society of Research Software Engineers and a convener of the EdinbR R user group. 

When & Where 

The talk will take place online via Zoom on Wednesday, 19 March, from 13:30 to 14:30 (UK time), followed by a 30-minute Q&A session with the speaker. Participants will have the opportunity to submit questions before or during the talk, to be answered in the Q&A session. The talk will be recorded and later made available on the SSI website and YouTube channel. 

Necessary Software 

While not required, it is advisable to have access to either an R or Python coding environment, an IDE like RStudio, VSCode or Positron, and Quarto.