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As people become more visual readers, infographics and data visualizations are becoming the preferred way to look at data. So rather than scrolling through local police reports, you can now look at a heatmap to find out which neighborhoods have the highest density of crime. Or if you want to avoid becoming a future flood victim, you can now check out where FEMA's flood zones begin and end on an interactive map.

During this dual presentation, Peter and Rhonda will open the door to the world of public data. You’ll learn about all the different government and open datasets available, which includes transportation, natural hazards, crime, consumer products, and demographics, etc. – and more importantly, where you can find them and get specific tips on how to use common government file formats. They’ll also take a deep dive into the different data visualization tools and techniques being used today, including D3, TileMill, OpenStreetMap, PostGIS and more!