Authors: Chanté Davis, Emily Markowitz & Diana Dishman. There is a clear and present need across all science fields to make workflows more efficient, improve data management, and make our results accessible and digestible to general audiences. The first step toward this is to embrace analysis-to-product workflows in programs like R. However, this can exclude professionals in an organization who do not know R. Without a skill set in a common format and language, colleagues unfamiliar with R may feel left out of a growing scientific R community or no longer feel able to constructively contribute to the workload. Without support, many are resigned to the daunting task of learning R outside of work or changing how they contribute to their field. Instead, we can take it upon ourselves to build an inclusive community for teams to collaborate with and learn from. This internally-driven investment in professional development extends the impact of a team member and takes the weight off the organization’s R experts as new users are able to take on more tasks in R. Combined, at NOAA fisheries we have prepared and taught four very different trainings/workshops for our colleagues, each with unique needs, goals, and time constraints. Trainings included 1) a two-day agency-wide workshop on how R can be used to support our needs, 2) a 90 min workshop to “jump start” new coders, 3) a five-week course with office hours, homework, and department support aimed at broadening the internal R community and providing an introduction to R, and 4) a three-day facilitated course of self-paced tutorials helping new users learn basic skills and develop confidence working with their own data. Each training received positive feedback, we have been able to see our colleagues progress post-training, and many lessons were learned. At the core of each training, we aimed to introduce attendees to the various capabilities the R platform provides, build an inclusive community for skill sharing, and infuse our colleagues with enthusiasm for R. In summary, supporting R culture and internally investing time in our organizations has empowered our colleagues to invest in their own R journeys, has made our local scientific communities more inclusive, and allowed our colleagues to work more efficiently, deliberately, and impactfully.
Bio: Chanté Davis is a Natural Resource Management Specialist in the Sustainable Fisheries Division of NOAA Fisheries’ West Coast Region. She has a PhD in Fisheries and Wildlife from Oregon State University, a Master’s in marine science from California State University Monterey Bay, and a Bachelor’s in Earth Systems Science and Policy from California State University Monterey Bay. Chanté was a Knauss Marine Policy fellow, and prior to her fellowship she was a Graduate Research Fellow with OSU, where she completed independent research that brought together three fields of research: spatial statistics, ecology, and population genetics. In her current role with NOAA Fisheries Chanté is helping her branch modernize how they analyze and track the impacts of hatchery programs using innovative approaches in R, and has spearheaded efforts to start an internal R training program for the Region. Chanté lives on the central Oregon coast, and in her free time enjoys reading, knitting, and playing with her dog on the beach.