As part of National Volunteer Week this month, we are profiling our DataCorps volunteers of projects past, present and future. These volunteers donate a whopping 5-10 hours a week over the course of several months to apply data science techniques that can help advance a social change organization's mission.
"We look forward to the upcoming project with DataKind with excitement as we can see the possibilities of data analytics to strengthen our programming to fight malnutrition. For a grassroots organisation like us with a vast amount of data from the communities we serve, the expertise that DataKind has will enable us to leverage data for the well being of children below five years. This project with DataKind has the potential to change the way we look at the contributing factors of malnutrition and address them in a way as never before to bring lasting changes in the lives of children."
-World Vision International
World Vision International is a global relief, development, and advocacy organisation dedicated to overcoming poverty and injustice. As a member of the global organisation, World Vision India is working to create lasting change in the lives of children, their families and communities living in poverty and injustice in India. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, caste, race, ethnicity or gender. In India, which has approximately 37 million children under the age of three underweight, the prevalence of malnourished children is amongst the highest in the world.
To respond to this dire need, World Vision India will be working with a DataCorps team to use the data they collect from their Integrated Program on Child Health to better understand the impact their interventions have on communities, especially around combatting malnutrition, so they can best allocate resources to reach more children in need. By analyzing this data, they hope to inform future implementations of similar programs to better develop and target their interventions and reduce malnutrition around the world by scaling these findings across its other country offices.
"I work with DataKind because this is the best way to use my skills to help make the world a better place."
Scott Wolf
I am a data scientist in the analytics group at Huge, a digital agency in Brooklyn. Prior to joining Huge, I spent five years as a market research analyst and have a Ph.D from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Social Psychology with an emphasis in behavioral statistics, quantitative research methods, and psychometrics. Meet Scott >
"I volunteer with DataKind so that I can use my skills to give back and hopefully have a social impact."
Sean Sall
Sean is a Data Scientist and Data Science Instructor for Galvanize, working out of Denver, CO. He is an active member of the Denver and Boulder data science communities, and has a desire to tackle challenging problems and use data for social impact. Meet Sean >
"I get to work on fun, interesting problems that might help people. It's a no brainer."
Zach Shahn
Zach is currently a postdoc studying causal inference. He has a PhD in statistics and a dog named Ken Singleton.
Mike Belinsky
Mike is a consultant at the Bridgespan Group, nonprofit advisor and resource for mission-driven organizations and philanthropists. Prior to Bridgespan, Mike was a co-founder and partner at Instiglio, a nonprofit that designs results-based financing programs in developing countries. Mike holds a BA from Dartmouth and an MPP from Harvard Kennedy School.