Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) Assistant Research Scientist Marcie Perez won first place in the data visualization category for “investigating crash data through data visualization” at the 2019 Traffic Records Forum. The forum (Aug. 4–7, 2019) was hosted by the Association of Transportation Safety Information Professionals (ATSIP). Perez led the Aug. 6 session Data Visualization: Investigating Crash Data Through Data Visualization.
ATSIP is an association made up of professionals from government agencies, law enforcement agencies, the private sector and university research centers. ATSIP seeks to make traffic records more consistent, accessible and integrated for use in implementing and evaluating safety programs and policies. ATSIP’s data visualization award recognizes projects that raise decision-maker awareness about data visualization, provide resources to transportation safety organizations and inform policy-making legislation.
TTI’s Center for Transportation Safety uses Microsoft Power BI, a data visualization software, to examine crash data. In her Aug. 6 session, Perez highlighted the most common ways attendees can leverage the software to fit their needs, including to
- Share data within and outside a team;
- Ensure consistency between projects;
- Facilitate quick and easy access to crash statistics; and/or
- Put together presentation decks.
Perez’s current work includes crash data analysis, database management, and form and survey development. She also provides technical support to TTI researchers working with Texas crash data.
“I received very positive feedback on the visualizations I shared within TTI, and I was happy to receive the award for my session because it helps me to see that my work is helpful to others,” says Perez. “At next year’s Traffic Records Forum, I hope to work on another session promoting data visualization. It would bring me full circle! The first time I heard about Power BI was at an ATSIP Traffic Records Forum.”