Thank You: A Reflection on 2023

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In this last blog post of 2023, we want to express our deepest gratitude to every APDU Board leader, member, sponsor, and partner for their dedication and hard work in continuing to fulfill APDU’s mission.

As we transition into the new year, we would like to reflect on a few of our accomplishments from 2023:

  • APDU successfully delivered its 2-day annual in-person conference with nine plenary sessions.
  • Our new Data Storytelling Awards, an extension of the Data Viz Awards, drew many excellent submissions from a wide range of individuals and organizations.
    • The Award winner was a project titled Challenging Neutrality: A Closer Look at Confederate Memorialization. Authors Sara Queen (Associate Professor of Architecture, NC State University) and Tania Allen (Associate Professor of Art + Design, NC State University) presented their work in a September webinar.
  • APDU held 10 webinars and published 9 quality blog posts, featuring topics ranging from data synchronization between the IRS and BLS/BEA, to the impact of green space on communities, and the value of data storytelling for organizations looking to communicate impact.
  • APDU successfully delivered a Data Storytelling Workshop in December with over 30 attendees, where participants learned how to use the building blocks of data storytelling to create effective visual narratives through web-based data visualizations and maps.

Going into 2024, APDU remains dedicated to its mission of convening users, producers, and disseminators of public statistical data to share knowledge and build relationships by:

  • Connecting federal, state, and local data users with producers and disseminators.
  • Educating members about developments regarding federal, state, and local data.
  • Advocating on behalf of members to strengthen and protect federal statistical agencies and programs.
  • Identifying and informing members about a range of data, related concepts, and policies of interest.

Our work is sustained by the relationships we build at APDU. We are fortunate for the opportunity to continue fostering collaboration across the community of data users and are excited for what we have planned in the new year (more to come in January).

Have a Happy Holidays and see you in 2024!