From Geologic Sites to Websites: A Common Thread
March 23, 2023
Staff Spotlight: Jen Hinds
Jen Hinds designs and develops data-driven website experiences. In a way, she gives raw data a story. But her background is in analyzing the history of rocks – when you pick up a rock, what is its story?
Visualizing data has helped her excel in multiple areas, from a master's degree in Geology at the University of Colorado to Research Applications Architect at the University of Idaho. Hinds is an expert in interpreting both geologic layers of history and data on a computer screen.
After characterizing geologic sites at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, she moved to the Palouse in 2002 to continue mapping and modeling geologic sites in a new capacity. With funding from EPSCoR, she collected field data and analyzed the biodiversity of microbes in extreme environments.
“I was doing field work as a geologist, but I got interested in sharing and showcasing the research and that led me to become interested in web development,†she recalls.
With no formal training in building websites, she used her expertise in mapping and quick learning skills to build a website to display their results. As she took on more projects, she soon found herself with a portfolio of web development work. Her work gained the attention of a small, quickly growing organization of research computing experts known as the Northwest Knowledge Network (NKN). Today, that organization has grown into Research and Computing Data Services (RCDS).
Since Hinds joined the team 10 years ago, RCDS has been expanding and incorporating state-of-the-art research into their toolbelt with remarkable results.
At RCDS, she works with researchers to tell the story of their data through website applications, interactive maps and dashboards. Researchers frequently approach Hinds with a dataset and a vision for transforming it into a dynamic, accessible product.
“Working with clients to develop a roadmap from an idea to a user-friendly application is like solving a puzzle,†she says.
Daily interaction with researchers is another favorite part of her job. As a geologist turned web developer, Hinds can speak both the languages of scientists and hardcore research computing experts. “To be able to understand the research and connect on that level of experience has been really helpful,†she says.
The collection of rocks on her windowsill are proof of her old world intertwined with this new one – a world in which “geology, mapping and spatial principles are all related,†as she describes it.
By Kelsey Swenson,
IIDS Scientific Writing Intern