Faculty members at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock will present their research on a variety of topics this November at UA Little Rock Downtown.

The weekly lecture series will feature presentations about Tableau, blockchain basics, the benefits of mindful self-compassion, the effects of screen time on children, and the use of microcomputers in wildlife and water quality research.

The schedule includes:

Wednesday, Nov. 6, 6-7 p.m., “Introduction to Tableau” with Dr. Vess Johnson, assistant professor of business information systems

Tableau is one of the most widely used platforms for data visualization and visual analytics. Dr. Johnson will provide a brief introduction to Tableau and a hands-on demonstration of how it can be used in a corporate environment to create dashboards and perform analytics. Those who have access to Tableau (a free trial is available online) will be able to follow along.

Wednesday, Nov. 13, 6-7 p.m., “How Much is Too Much? Evidence-Based Screen Time Guidelines for Children” with Dr. Chris Lloyd, associate professor in the School of Social Work

Thursday, Nov. 14, 5:30-7 p.m., “Blockchain Basics” with Dr. Kyleen Prewett, associate professor of accounting

Blockchain’s digital ledger technology is poised to transform the way businesses record, store, and transmit information and digital assets. According to PwC’s 2018 Global Blockchain Survey, 84 percent of companies are at least dabbling in blockchain. This seminar presents the basics of how blockchain works and explores how companies like Walmart, IBM, American Express, Amazon, and FedEx are using blockchain today.

Wednesday, Nov. 20, 6-7 p.m., “The Island Project: Using the Raspberry Pi for the Internet of Things” with Dr. Phil William, bioinformatics technology director in the Department of Information Science

Two solar/battery-powered Raspberry Pis, microcomputers running Linux OS, will be onsite at the Island next to the Clinton Presidential Library. One will operate as a wildlife camera, while the other will be used for water quality testing in the Arkansas River. The two units will communicate through a local stand-alone WiFi network.

All lectures are free and open to the public; however, individuals are encouraged to RSVP by emailing downtown@ualr.edu. For more information, contact Ross Owyoung, UA Little Rock Downtown director, at 870-501-2700 or rlowyoung@ualr.edu.

More information is available online.