Distinguished Lecture Series

Session 1

Sunday Feb 24, 3 pm, Stark 103

Visualization for Effective

Communication

Scientists usually believe that good and clear design consists just of “beautifying” their charts, graphs, and maps. This should be an afterthought, as what truly matters is to “show the data”. This session explains why reasoning about design decisions is as important as reasoning about the data we present to audiences.

Session 2
Sunday Feb 24, 7 pm, Stark 103
How Charts Lie: Getting Smarter
About Visual Information

Graphic designers, data analysts, and journalists are taught that “a picture is worth a thousand words”, that we should “show don’t tell”, and that charts are “intuitive” and useful to “simplify” information. This talk explains why these myths, if taken at face value, are wrong and dangerous, and what we can do to become better readers and designers of graphics.

Session 3
Monday Feb 25, 12pm, Gild 155
Engagement and Future Trends
in Data Communication

Visualization is a language in constant evolution. This session will focus on how designers of visualization can make their graphics more attractive and engaging, and on several potential futures of data communication.

Department Spaghetti Dinner

Location: Holzinger Lodge (925 W Lake Blvd)

Department Colloquium

12:00 - 12:50 PM, Wednesday, February 6, SLC 120

Applying Data Analysis in the Business World   Rick Fredrickson Supply Chain Lead, Fastenal Company

Come hear from WSU mathematics alumnus Rick Fredrickson how his Supply Chain team is applying data analysis in the business world to drive customer service levels, manage $1.28 billion dollars in inventory investments, and optimize operational efficiencies. What are the key numbers behind the scenes that allow these business goals to merge together? Learn about opportunities to put your mathematics, statistics, or data science degree to work with a publicly-held, international company.

Data Visualization Expo

Students in the DSCI 310 class have created a variety of visualization throughout the semester.  This exposition will allow the public to see a culmination of their abilities to visualize and tell a story with data.  For their final projects, students worked with the College Scorecard dataset which is published by the U.S. Department of Education.  This dataset provides a substantial amount of information about higher education institutions across the United States.  Students selected particular themes, e.g. Diversity, Family Support, Admissions, Student Load Debt and will showcase how Winona State University compares to other higher education institutions.

Student Seminar

12:00 - 12:50 PM, Wednesday, December 5, Gildemeister 155

Refreshments served beforehand Gildemeister 135. 

 

What Affects U.S. Healthcare Insurance? Rounak (Ron) Kejriwal
We all rely on healthcare and insurance prices. If something unfortunate were to happen, we don’t have to pay for it (at least not entirely). We will find out exactly how much insurance prices have our back, and what affects these prices.
What Impacts How Fast Smart Windows Color?    Austin Ellingworth
	This summer I participated in a research experience at Colorado State University. I served as a statistical consultant for a team of chemists who were interested in what characteristics impact the speed at which smart windows change color.

Math Ed Panel

12:00 - 12:50 PM, Wednesday, November 28, Gildemeister 329

Refreshments served beforehand Gildemeister 319. 

Mathematics Education Question and Answer Session
Nicole Peterson Hastings High School WSU Alumna	Chad Wedan Holmen High School UW-La Crosse Alumnus	Zachary Zangl Winona Sr. High School WSU Student Teacher
Teachers from different schools and career stages will share their experiences in the teaching profession. This informal question and answer session will also provide the opportunity for audience members to ask questions about the student teaching experience, the job application process, and coaching opportunities.

Department Seminar

12:00 - 12:50 PM, Wednesday, November 14, Gildemeister 155

Refreshments served beforehand Gildemeister 135. 

Use of accelerometer data to evaluate physical activity as a surrogate endpoint in heart failure clinical trials   Dr. Tracy Bergemann Senior Principal Statistician, Medtronic

Recent research regarding physical activity levels in heart failure patients shows a strong correlation with neurocognition and other more traditional functional assessments, such as the exercise capacity test. Accelerometer data from current implantable devices such as implantable cardiac defibrillators provides the opportunity to collect objective data as a heart failure patient goes about their daily activities. While increases in physical activity have face validity as a study objective in clinical trials, changes in summaries of the accelerometer recordings may function as a surrogate endpoint for traditional heart failure clinical outcomes. This talk will describe how surrogate endpoints are used in clinical trials and how their validity is assessed.