From local neighborhoods and schools to courtrooms, hospitals, fields, and forests, data are everywhere, providing us the power to solve problems like never before. Communities large and small now have access to a wealth of data they can use to assess conditions, develop strategies and policies, evaluate impact, and make critical decisions. However, not all communities – particularly those that are small or rural – have the expertise or resources necessary to access and leverage complex data for real-world benefits.
With the support of a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, five partner universities—University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, Iowa State University, and Oregon State University—and the universities’ respective Cooperative Extension Systems (CES), will pilot a three-state initiative, “Towards A National Community Learning Network,” and utilize data science to solve complex, community challenges and advance economic mobility across Virginia, Iowa, and Oregon. This collaboration will test the viability of CES as a dissemination network to discover opportunities and build data-driven governance at local levels where relevant expertise may be lacking.
Through UVA’s Biocomplexity Institute’s established Community Learning through Data Driven-Discovery process and each of the universities’ Data Science for the Public Good Young Scholars programs, the initiative will build partnerships with CES professionals and equip them with the skills and knowledge to partner with local stakeholders and their associated land-grant universities in Virginia, Iowa, and Oregon to bring data-driven solutions to rural communities.
National CLD3 Steering Committee:
- Cassandra Dorius, Iowa State University. Associate Professor and Director of Iowa’s CLD3 Initiative: cdorius@iastate.edu
- Lindsey Shirley, Colorado State University. Deputy Director of Colorado Cooperative Extension; Associate Vice President for Engagement and Outreach: lindsey.shirley@colostate.edu
- Cathie Woteki, Iowa State University. University of Virginia, Distinguished Biocomplexity Institute Professor. USDA Chief Scientist and Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics, 2010-2017: cwoteki@iastate.edu
- Rich Bonanno, North Carolina State University. Director North Carolina Cooperative Extension; Associate Dean, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: abonann@ncsu.edu
- Brian Kowalkowski, College of Menominee Nation. Director of Extension; Dean of Continuing Education: bkowalkowski@menominee.edu
- Mike Gutter, Virginia Tech. Director of Virginia Cooperative Extension; Associate Dean, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: msgutter@vt.edu
- Mike Lambur, Virginia Cooperative Extension Emeritus, lamburmt@vt.edu
- Scott Reed, Oregon State University. Director of Oregon Cooperative Extension, 2005-2019: scott.reed@oregonstate.edu
- Sam Angima, Oregon State University. Associate Dean of Extension: sam.angima@oregonstate.edu
- Chadwick Higgins, University of University of Missouri, Interim Vice Chancellor Ext/Engagement & Interim Chief Engagement Officer, Office of Extension and Engagement, cchiggins@missouri.edu
- Andrew Behnke, Texas State University. Director of the School of Family and Consumer Sciences: aob28@txstate.edu
- Stephanie Shipp, University of Virginia. Acting Director of the Social and Decision Analytics Division, Biocomplexity Institute: sshipp@virginia.edu
- Maureen Kelly Moseman JD, consultant, Moseman & Associates LLC, former Director of REE Congressional Relations at USDA: maureen.moseman@gmail.com