RENCI launches new webinar series
RENCI is helping launch the Carolina Data Science Now webinar series, which aims to illuminate data science research across disciplines at UNC and foster a community among faculty and staff who share an interest in connecting with other data science practitioners. The inaugural event took place on January 26 and featured talks from Kathryn Desplanque, art and art history; Corbin Jones, biology; and Timothy Shea, classics. To learn more about future events, sign up to receive the Carolina Data Science Now newsletter.
NC TraCS Pilot Grant Program update
Funding for the current CTSA grant ends in February 2023. As NC TraCS cannot guarantee uninterrupted pilot support until future funding is secure, they are suspending the TraCS $2K, $2K Stakeholder Engagement Voucher, FastTraCS, and $5-50K Pilot Programs. Note the last $2K and Stakeholder Engagement Voucher deadlines will be February 15, 2022, and the FastTraCS, TTSA, and $5-50K applications submitted in Dec 2021 that are currently under review are not affected by this announcement. Visit the NC TraCS website for more information.
University Libraries to cover open access fees for PLOS journals
UNC researchers publishing in journals from PLOS will no longer need to pay article processing charges thanks to the University Libraries’ participation in several PLOS publishing partnerships. The agreements pilot various ways for institutions to reduce the fee burden for open access publishing and to increase the amount of high-quality peer-reviewed research in open circulation.
Learn about text and data mining at the University Libraries
The University Library’s text and data mining guide is a good way to get started and describes best practices for obtaining clean data. It provides information about licensing and vendor requirements and includes contact information for library experts. Many data sources are also available, including the full corpus of Washington Post daily editions from 1977 through 2021. Other available sources include Congressional hearings and the Congressional record, movie texts, and even the transcriptions of soap operas. Library-sponsored short courses can help you learn the coding and programs you need to conduct text and data mining research. For more information, contact the subject liaison librarian for your discipline or Michele Hayslett, the librarian for numeric data services and data management.
Get involved with the N.C. Science Festival
Each April, the NC Science Festival highlights the educational, cultural, and financial impact of science in North Carolina. An initiative of Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, the month-long festival hosts hundreds of hands-on activities, science talks, lab tours, nature experiences, expos, exhibits, and performances. Each year, over 3,500 scientists and researchers visit classrooms, show off their research at an expo, speak at a science cafe, and so much more. To get involved, fill out this form. For questions, contact the festival team at 919-843-8329 or ncscifest@unc.edu.