Learn more about the great individuals within Arts ISIT and the wide range of services we support.
Details
Name
William Strausser
Job title
Data Engineer
Team
Learning Analytics
Interview
What year did you begin to work at Arts ISIT?
2022
Describe what you do at Arts ISIT
I handle the backend of our data analytics and reporting infrastructure. This involves the creation of data pipelines to extract data from various UBC systems, cleaning and modelling this data so that it is in a structure suitable for analysis, and ensuring the validity and accuracy of any data being reported to our users.
Prior to my current role, I was a Data Analyst working with end users to create custom analytics solutions and maintain our standard reports.
What is the best thing about the work you do at Arts ISIT?
As an Arts alum, I enjoy being able to do work that helps my alma mater, particularly at a time when rapid technology growth presents numerous challenges for higher education. Data that is accurate, timely, and insightful is crucial to ensuring that Arts continues to adapt to these challenges. I especially love any time I get to work directly with members of our community and watch as the data either confirms or contests their assumptions.
What are your areas of expertise?
My expertise includes normal analytics tasks like data wrangling and visualization, in addition to building data pipelines and automation for testing and deployment of our data infrastructure. Most of this work is done using Python, SQL, and Tableau.
In the non-technical realm, my work requires substantial subject matter expertise in order to translate complex data constructs into actionable insights for stakeholders.
In terms of formal education, I earned my BA in Asian Area Studies from UBC with an emphasis on Japanese culture and history. While of little direct relation to my current role, this humanities background helps guide my work everyday.
Which services does your work relate to?
Please list some related projects/tools/resources you work on
- Arts Datamart (internal reporting database)
- Arts Tableau
- Arts Mailing List System
- Ways of Knowing Course Planning Tool
Can you share some of your personal interests or hobbies?
I am a passionate music listener and spent most of my high school years running a radio show and working at a record store. While I appreciate all types of music, I am particularly a lover of old school jazz, heavy and extreme metal, and experimental electronic music. I also enjoy creating music in my spare time purely for my own enjoyment.
