Here to Help
At the Library, we have subject librarians who specialize in topics ranging from aerospace engineering to visual arts. These subject matter experts are here to help our patrons explore their area of study and drive research projects forward. Meet two librarians who consistently go above and beyond to ensure student success and support the next generation of changemakers.
Stephanie Labou Data Science Librarian On her role: I am the Library’s point person for all things data- and data science-related. I visit classes to talk about Library data resources; help students and researchers find and access the data they need for projects; teach workshops about scientific programming with R and Python; comanage the Library’s Data & GIS Lab; and serve as the Library’s liaison to the data science major and the Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute (HDSI). On working at the Library: I started in my current position in June 2018. I previously worked as a data manager and research assistant, which was great preparation for my current role at the Library.
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On helping students achieve their academic goals: Many of the consultation requests I get from students, especially graduate students, involve finding and accessing specific data they need for their projects. There is a lot of data out there—more than ever before—but it can be challenging to track down exactly what is needed, in the correct format, and at the right spatial and temporal scale. That’s where I can help. I also work with patrons to automate their data analysis workflow with software like Stata, R, and Python. On what she loves most about her job: I really enjoy seeing the kinds of projects students and faculty are working on. There is a lot of interesting research happening on campus!
On one of her favorite projects: I have been working with students in the Data Science & Engineering Master of Advanced Study capstone course to deposit their projects into the Library’s Digital Collections (see page 2). This collection of student data science projects (the Library’s first!) will not only serve as a platform to educate future students about proper project documentation through access to similarly structured projects, but will also provide a public-facing portal through which students can better publicize and share their scholarly works. A surprising fact about her: I am a UC San Diego alumna! I got my bachelor’s degree here and it’s great to be back on campus in a professional capacity.
