Hello Datascapers! This week brought us a wide variety of weather, from a sunny start to the week, to a cold mid-week, to a rainy end of the week. Moving from Knoxville almost seven months ago, I still haven't gotten used to the quick weather changes that happen in Pittsburgh. I don't know about you, but this has wreaked havoc on my sinuses! While we're in a busy time of the semester (which, let's be honest, that could be said for the whole semester!), I'm trying to make time for some rest and some fun, which for me entails lots of tea and Netflix. 

Happy Friday, Datascapers! Now that we are a couple of weeks into the semester, how is everyone feeling? Are you staying hydrated? If you are like me, it’s a struggle to remember to drink water throughout the busy day, and by the end of the day, you have a significant dehydration headache and feel like a dried-out sponge. Or maybe that’s just me. Regardless, I love to use phone apps to help me remember to drink water.

What do examining bee behavior, classifying digital document types, analyzing road segmentation for self-driving cars, and decoding language in the brain from MRI scans all have in common? They all require large amounts of data that is well documented and reusable. Fostering this type of research and data curation is one goal of the growing Open Science movement and of the Carnegie Mellon University Libraries’ Open Science Program. 

Hello Datascapers! We’re finally at the end of the semester, and as you take your finals, hand in your final projects, submit your grades, etc., I wanted to send a special note of support during this likely stressful time. This was always my favorite video to watch when I needed a study break during finals week, so I hope it brings a smile to your face too (hint: it's about a guinea pig having an existential crisis): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCBLvxK18vU.