Community Data Labs
Community Data Labs is the signature program of the Kansas Data Science Consortium (CDL). This capstone-like class invites students with an interest in data science to spend a semester working on real-world projects provided by community partners from across Kansas and beyond.
Overview
Cultivating data-driven solutions is rewarding work. At multiple institutions across the state, we create a supportive environment for hands-on learning where students can develop their skills, challenge themselves, and gain valuable experience. Students often find that this experience is valued by potential employers and that skills learned in the Community Data Labs are flexible and broadly applicable to future studies and careers.
Enrollment Information for Students
Community Data Labs are offered at several Kansas colleges and universities including: The University of Kansas, Kansas State University, Wichita State University, Baker University, Butler Community College, Donnelly College, and Johnson County Community College. There may be collaboration opportunities across campuses for students who have selected the same project though it is not required as part of the course.
Students will be well-prepared to work on data projects if they have some skill with a statistical software package like Stata, RStudio, or Python. Additionally, students should have some ability with statistical analysis such as regression, causal inference, and/or machine learning. This class is offered to undergraduate upperclassmen and graduate students.
During the semester, we expect students to learn or improve their skills in:
- Data management and wrangling
- Data analysis and visualization
- Statistical inference and prediction
- Computer Programming
- Data-driven decision making
- Problem solving
- Communication
2025 Community Data Lab Projects
| Sponsor | Project |
|---|---|
| ARISE | Mapping Community Anchor Institutions in KS |
| Kansas City, MO | Building Energy Performance Dashboard |
| Ground Water Management Districts 1, 3 & 4 | Water Use in Western GMDs 1, 3 & 4 |
| KS Dept. of Commerce | Rural Cost of Living Index |
| KS Dept. of Agriculture | Impact of Conservation Programs |
| Lied Center | Marketing Data Analysis |
| City of Lincoln | Sustainability Plan |
| City of Lawrence | Housing Analysis |
| City of Manhattan | Housing Dashboard |
| Wyandotte County | Dashboard of survey data |
| Justice Matters | Youth Trauma in Douglas County |
Kansas Data Science Conference
Students from Community Data Labs will present their findings throughout the semester at the annual Kansas Data Science Conference. Registration is free!
Complete RegistrationKU Federal Data Workshops
Tuesdays, 12:30 - 1:45 PM | Fraser Hall, Room 547: This Spring, KU Community Data Labs will host workshops to discuss agencies in the federal statistics system. Each session will provide an overview of the data and participants will work with these datasets in Stata. Please bring your laptop with a Stata license or access Stata using KU Virtual Desktop.
See session outline below:
| January 28 | Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| February 4 | Bureau of Economic Analysis |
| February 11 | National Center of Education Statistics |
| Canceled due to campus closure | Bureau of Justice Statistics |
| February 25 | National Center of Health Statistics |
| March 4 | Census Bureau |