SAS Partners With DataKind to Host First NC DataDive

Weekend-long event focuses on Data for Good and supports SAS corporate social responsibility initiatives

Finding opportunities to analyze data that can deliver positive results for humanitarian issues has always been important to SAS. This is why it has partnered with DataKind to host North Carolina’s first DataDive. A nonprofit that harnesses the power of data science in the service of humanity, DataKind offers programs like DataDives to bring together social change organizations and data scientists from local communities to tackle important social issues using data-driven approaches. Being held at SAS world headquarters, the DataDive will help several nonprofit organizations address real-world problems in a collaborative and engaging environment.

“Contributing to the improvement of local and global communities has always been important to SAS,” said Randy Guard, Chief Marketing Officer at SAS. “Partnering with DataKind to host this DataDive in our own backyard makes perfect sense – it not only gives us the opportunity to interact with local ‘do-gooders,’ but to do so with the purpose of trying to find solutions that can lead to real-world change. The whole Data for Good movement is a natural extension of what we’ve been doing since 1976, which is using SAS Analytics to gain valuable insights from data. In this way we can help address critical social and humanitarian issues worldwide. It’s at the heart of why we do what we do, and why we are always finding innovative ways to put our software to good use.”

SAS Partners With DataKind

SAS and DataKind are no strangers to each other, having worked together most recently on a Boston Public Schools project to optimize the scheduling of bus routes for students.

“It’s incredible to see more and more organizations applying data for good, and to partner with one like SAS that has this built into their DNA,” said Jake Porway, Founder and Executive Director of DataKind. “We were blown away by the number of applications we received from nonprofits for this DataDive and the enthusiasm we are seeing from the North Carolina data science community. We’re looking forward to diving into the data with SAS, our nonprofit partners and the local community and hope this will set the stage for further work in the region.” 

The weekend-long DataDive in April will connect data scientists, statisticians, analysts and designers with data from nonprofit organizations to tackle some serious challenges. These organizations include the Anti-Defamation League and Habitat for Humanity, as well as two local organizations – StepUp Durham and CounterTools. Spots for the DataDive are limited, so those interested should register as soon as possible. 

SAS^® Analytics Helping Humanity

It’s no secret that SAS Analytics can help businesses improve their operations – from identifying credit card fraud to delivering more insightful customer marketing methods. But since the company was formed over 40 years ago, it has continued to look for opportunities to improve how people live. Here are a few examples of how SAS uses data for good:

• Saving endangered species.
• Changing women’s lives in Ghana.
• Transforming social welfare in New Zealand.
• Helping stop the spread of the Zika virus.
• Helping the European Union battle gun crime.
• Supporting New York City in its focus on at-risk pre-K children.

More information about these stories and SAS’ Data for Good efforts can be found here.