Data to the People Data experts like Jianchao Lai SW PhD ’23 of the UCLA Agile Visual Analytics Lab strive to make information accessible and meaningful for all

By Les Dunseith

Connecting people to data.

That’s the mission of a team of data experts at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs known as the UCLA Agile Visual Analytics Lab, or AVAL. For almost a decade, the faculty, staff and student innovators at AVAL have been reimagining how vital information is put into the hands of people whose decisions impact the lives of others.

AVAL’s efforts have been funded by over $24 million in contracts and grants, and recently, the AVAL team was awarded $9.4 million from the Children’s Bureau, an office within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to establish, by cooperative agreement, a Quality Improvement Center on Workforce Analytics. The effort, led by AVAL and in partnership with three other universities and several private consultants, will work with at least six public or tribal child welfare agencies to advance their use of data in addressing child welfare workforce needs.

The AVAL team strives to help academic and community partners engage with data in meaningful ways, streamlining the data collection process and creating interactive visualizations of the results. Among the team of innovators is Jianchao Lai, who has been crunching numbers and helping to visualize data at AVAL since 2019, all while working toward the PhD in Social Welfare she earned in June 2023.

a group of women chat during an event at UCLA

“People have different backgrounds and ideas about how to do research and what’s the best for their community. We’re bridging these differences and letting the data tell the story.”
—Jianchao Lai, center

Lai, who was hired upon graduation as a full-time staff member by AVAL, did not envision this career for herself when she first left China to pursue an education abroad. That changed when she met Todd Franke, professor of social welfare and co-founder of AVAL.

“The first professor I met at the UCLA Welcome Day was Todd,” recalled Lai, who had written to Franke with questions about resources available to her on campus and asking how she might contribute to the educational community. “And since then, he has been helping me through the whole PhD process, through the ups and downs.”

Franke and co-founder Robert Blagg were motivated to create AVAL in 2014 based on their experiences writing lengthy research reports and then seeing that the findings didn’t get used by stakeholders.

“The context in which programs, policies and practices are implemented is constantly changing, and too often lengthy written reports get filed away after someone skims through the executive summary,” Franke said. “Narrative reports don’t allow diverse stakeholders to easily explore findings from unique perspectives. AVAL was created to ensure stakeholders have the vital information they need — and ultimately use — to make more timely and sound decisions.”

Data vizualiztion

An example of a data visualization developed for a previous child welfare workforce project. Image courtesy of Agile Visual Analytics Lab Click here to see an interactive version.

The AVAL team strives to help academic and community partners engage with data in meaningful ways, streamlining the data collection process and creating interactive visualizations of the results.

Read more about the grant on UCLA Newsroom

As part of their work with the Children’s Bureau’s previous Quality Improvement Center for Workforce Development, the AVAL team partnered with the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families to develop an interactive dashboard describing characteristics of their workforce and key indicators such as staff turnover and retention.

The new federal funding will further support efforts to build upon the innovations developed by AVAL and other partners through their work with the Children’s Bureau. It will provide funding across five years for work to be completed in cooperation with researchers at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln; the University of Washington; the University of Pittsburgh; and several nationally recognized private consultants. Franke will be the principal investigator, with Blagg as the co-PI.

portrait photo of Jianchao Lai“When your evidence is not digestible to practitioners, it’s not going to lead to any changes. Charts, graphs and diagrams help them to see the process and use the data in a very interactive and timely manner.”
—Jianchao Lai

 

 

Educators today often talk about evidence-based practice and data-driven decision-making. “But when your evidence is not digestible to practitioners, it’s not going to lead to any changes,” Lai said. “Charts, graphs and diagrams help them to see the process and use the data in a very interactive and timely manner.”

When data presentations are visually appealing, they can enhance immediate understanding. “I’m that way about data visualization myself,” Lai said. “Sometimes, I don’t want to read through all of the numbers — just show me the graphs first.”

Data crunching is an acquired skill for Lai, who earned a bachelor’s from Nanjing University in China and a master’s from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in social work. The topics for her work at AVAL can be wide-ranging, but she noted that some projects have coincided with her academic interest in children and her prior experience working with child services organizations.

“I kind of understand from doing micro social work that involves families and children that, you know, three hours of therapy per week for that family is never enough,” said Lai, noting that is particularly true for marginalized populations such as new immigrants and families living in poverty.

“We need to change the system before we can make a real impact.”

Changing a system sometimes begins with challenging widely held perceptions.

During her doctoral program at UCLA, for example, Lai pursued a research interest in the underreporting and underservice of child maltreatment and gender-based violence in Asian American communities. Lai’s dissertation explored the experiences of Asian American families in California’s child welfare system from a quantitative perspective. And in a qualitative research component, she interviewed Asian American young adults who had experienced abuse in their childhoods that was never reported to Child Protective Services.

“The experience was so intense,” Lai said. “And it’s a problem that is kind of invisible. It’s like, ‘Why focus on Asians? They’re OK. They’re a model minority.’ ”

Lai said incidents of hate crimes against Asian Americans during the pandemic may have helped change some people’s misconceptions. “It’s sad to say, but this was a good timing for people to realize something has been going on for a long time.”

At AVAL, Lai has worked with organizations and agency officials to ensure that time-sensitive data is collected and processed in a timely, consistent manner that allows it to be viewed through interactive online dashboards and updated with the latest information.

“Imagine a massive data table — it’s very difficult for people to see trends. So, we transform those dry tables into pictures that are easy to understand and unlock new insights,” Lai explained. “Let’s say they want to see the differences year by year, or by age group, we can design these pictures so users can engage with the data and find answers to their questions faster.”

Applied research of this type is most effective when it accounts for the fact that data users come from all walks of life.

“People have different backgrounds and ideas about how to do research and what’s the best for their community,” Lai said. “We’re bridging these differences and letting the data tell the story.”

Data visualization

A data visualization example relating to a previous child welfare workforce project. Image courtesy of Agile Visual Analytics Lab Click here to see an interactive version.

Informative and engaging data visualizations help stakeholders make decisions, said Jonathan Litt, deputy director of AVAL. As part of the Children’s Bureau’s Quality Improvement Center for Workforce Development, the AVAL team analyzed data on workforce needs and created interactive dashboards for eight child welfare agencies in a national study of frontline child welfare workers.

“These dashboards enabled each agency to explore underlying factors for high turnover rates,” said Litt, noting that the agencies then were able to target strategies at addressing those factors directly. In early September, the AVAL team was awarded a new grant of $9.4 million to build upon the innovations developed by AVAL and other partners through their previous work with the Children’s Bureau.

A hiring challenge for AVAL, Litt said, is finding people whose skill sets encompass the three areas they seek — an understanding of human services fields, an applied research orientation and an aptitude for technical work.

Few potential staff members possess all three, he said. “Dr. Lai is an example of someone who came in with a human services background and research training, and she has embraced opportunities to expand technical skills with data processing and analytics tools beyond her formal education,” Litt said.

Although Lai often works on tasks independently, she treasures the human interaction that comes with collaborative research projects at AVAL.

“The fascinating aspect for me is transitioning from a purely academic background to engaging in more practical and applied research,” she said. “A traditional academic might argue there’s only one interpretation for a particular kind of information. But with our work, you realize that people think so differently.”

The more she talks with other researchers or engages with clients and other partners, Lai said, the more she understands herself.

“I want to make an impact on other people’s lives, to do something to help them fulfill their promise, just like they’ve been helping me, directly or indirectly,” she said. “Fundamentally, the work I’m part of makes me feel constantly empowered. I think, ‘Wow. As a community, we can do so much.’ Let’s carry on the work!”

Koslov on the Retreat From Climate-Threatened Zones

Liz Koslov of UCLA Luskin Urban Planning and the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability spoke to Bloomberg CityLab about efforts to protect people from the risks of climate-related disaster through “managed retreat.” Communities threatened by flooding, wildfire and other emergencies face choices that can be emotionally and logistically difficult: Should they fortify their homes to withstand climate perils or retreat to safer locations? Koslov conducted extensive research into how this debate played out in coastal New York after Hurricane Sandy in 2012. With a National Science Foundation grant, she is now studying effective and equitable climate strategies for residents of areas with the highest wildfire risk. Coastal and wooded areas present different challenges, Koslov said. “With fire, a big contributor to fire risk is a lot of flammable overgrowth. If you just do a buyout with no attention to what happens to the land afterward, [you] could increase fire risk rather than reduce it.”


 

UCLA Luskin Alumna Confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to Croatia

UCLA Luskin Public Policy alumna Nathalie Rayes has been confirmed as U.S. ambassador to Croatia. “I promise to always lead and serve with integrity and in the best interest of our country, while continuing to strengthen our diplomatic relations with the people of Croatia,” Rayes said after the U.S. Senate voted to confirm her nomination on Dec. 6. The double Bruin who earned a bachelor’s in sociology in 1996 and a master of public policy in 1999 has had a distinguished career in public service. Rayes most recently served as president and CEO of Latino Victory, an advocacy group focused on increasing Latino representation. Prior to that, she was vice president of public affairs for the Mexican conglomerate Grupo Salinas and executive director of its philanthropic arm, Fundación Azteca America. She also served in Los Angeles city government, including as deputy chief of staff to then-Mayor James K. Hahn. President Biden appointed Rayes to the board of the United States Institute of Peace, and she has served on the boards of numerous organizations in the fields of politics, civil rights, education and health. During her time at UCLA Luskin, she was a Department of State Fellow in the U.S. Embassy in Cairo. She was named the UCLA Luskin Public Policy Alumna of the Year in 2014. Earlier this year, in comments to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, California Sen. Alex Padilla cited Rayes’ “unwavering commitment to public service, a drive to diversity the highest levels of leadership in our nation, and a fundamental understanding of the hope and stability America’s leadership brings to the world stage.”


 

Magnifying the Work of Grassroots Leaders in Watts

The UCLA Watts Leadership Institute (WLI) has welcomed six new community advocates into a program that provides training, resources and ongoing support aimed at elevating grassroots work done on behalf of the people of Watts. The leaders make up the third cohort of the institute, which is housed at UCLA Luskin. The multi-year program includes intensive one-on-one coaching as well as group learning that taps into the experiences and strengths of each leader. Areas of focus include goal-setting, operational essentials, establishing a compelling digital presence, funding and finances, and planning for future growth — all aimed at creating a safer, healthier and more vibrant Watts. Founded in 2016 by Jorja Leap and Karrah Lompa of UCLA Luskin Social Welfare, WLI is supported by a diverse group of collaborators including nonprofit foundations and Los Angeles city officials. Members of WLI’s newest cohort are:

  • Kristal Gilmore of Yung Power Foundation, who hosts food and resource distribution events with a focus on empowering women;
  • Jorge Gonzalez of 5 La Nuevo Comienzo, which strengthens families and communities through sports, excursions and other activities;
  • Miguel Gonzalez, who uses dance as a tool to educate people about LGBTQ+ rights and prevention of sexually transmitted infections;
  • Shawn Lampley of Home of Kings & Queens, which distributes food, school supplies and personal hygiene supplies to low-income communities;
  • Raul Panuco, a photographer and artist working to educate youth on media arts and ensure that outlets for creative expression are broadly available;
  • Jennifer Williams of Gifted Creations, who hosts back-to-school, Halloween and holiday activities for residents of public housing.

 Read the full release.


 

Stalled Momentum in Reforming L.A. Governance

UCLA Luskin Public Policy Professor Gary Segura spoke to LAist about a delay in the decision to move forward with reforms at L.A. City Hall. Segura is co-chair of the L.A. Governance Reform Project, a coalition of scholars who came together in response to a series of corruption scandals that have plagued the city. Their recommendations for better governance include increasing the number of seats on the L.A. City Council, currently made up of 15 members representing 4 million Angelenos. “One of the advantages of a larger council is that it makes it possible for smaller communities to maintain a voice,” Segura said. Council members are debating the anticipated impact of the proposed change on the delivery of city services, as well as on the balance of power between the council and the mayor. The decision to delay action and possibly hand the question over to a yet-to-be-created charter reform commission has stalled momentum and is deeply concerning, Segura said.


 

Taylor on the Addition of New Toll Lanes on the 405

Brian D. Taylor, director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at UCLA Luskin, spoke to the Orange County Register about the opening of new express lanes on the 405 Freeway. Motorists who use the two express lanes on 16 miles of the freeway in Orange County will have the option of paying a toll or carpooling. The lanes will be free to three-person carpools, but two-person carpools during rush hours will need to pay. Taylor, a professor of urban planning and public policy, said express lanes help keep traffic flowing compared to general lanes. For example, the two express lanes on the 91 Freeway carry about 45% of its total traffic. “Those two lanes are operating so much more efficiently that more people are getting through as a result,” Taylor said.


 

Monkkonen on L.A.’s Challenge to Meet Affordable Housing Goals

Paavo Monkkonen, professor of urban planning and public policy at UCLA Luskin, spoke to LAist about the status of Mayor Karen Bass’ pledge to fast-track affordable housing construction in Los Angeles. Development projects in single-family neighborhoods are now ineligible for the accelerated permitting due to a rules change in June. About three-quarters of L.A.’s residential land is zoned for single-family homes, and proposing large apartment developments in those areas can lead to outcries from homeowners opposed to neighborhood change. Monkkonen said leaving suburban areas untouched brings its own risks. Under state law, the city of Los Angeles must plan for 185,000 new low-income homes by 2029 and reverse long-standing patterns of segregation by putting many new affordable homes in wealthier areas. “Once you take them off the table, it’s really hard to live up to the fair housing mandate,” Monkkonen said.


 

Shock Waves of Trauma Following UNLV Shooting

UCLA Luskin Social Welfare scholars Mark S. Kaplan and Ron Avi Astor spoke to the Las Vegas Review Journal about the lasting trauma experienced by school communities in the aftermath of campus shootings. On Dec. 6, a gunman killed three members of the faculty at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and gravely injured a fourth. “This is going to send shock waves through the campus,” said Kaplan, who teaches a class on firearm violence prevention policy at UCLA. Access to counseling is critical for students, faculty and the entire UNLV community, he stressed. Astor said memorials and vigils can help the community come together to process grief and trauma. He added that school safety literature shows that many people rate their own schools — both K-12 and college — as very safe even as they express anxiety about campus shootings.


 

Torres-Gil on Ageism in Electoral Politics

Fernando Torres-Gil, professor emeritus of social welfare and public policy at UCLA Luskin, spoke to USA Today about ageism in electoral politics. At 81, Joe Biden is the oldest president in U.S. history, and polls indicate that some voters view his age as a liability. Yet these concerns are not routinely aired in conversations about other politicians from Biden’s generation, including Donald Trump, 77, and Bernie Sanders, 82. “I think it has a lot to do just with style and personality, how you are perceived” — and appearances can be superficial, said Torres-Gil, director of the UCLA Center for Policy Research on Aging. “We still have a relatively ageist and ableist society where if you look old and act disabled, it creates a more negative impression.”


 

Astor Receives 2023 School Mental Health Research Award

The National Center for School Mental Health has selected UCLA Luskin Social Welfare Professor Ron Avi Astor as the recipient of the 2023 School Mental Health Research Award. Launched in 2018, the award recognizes scholars who have made a significant contribution to advancing research and practice in school mental health. Astor received the award on Dec. 5 at the 2023 Annual Conference on Advancing School Mental Health, held in New Orleans. At a summit on the eve of the conference, Astor shared his scholarship on campus climate, social-emotional learning and social justice with leading school mental health researchers from across the country. In his decades of research, Astor has studied tens of thousands of schools and millions of students, teachers, parents and administrators, and his work has been published in more than 200 scholarly manuscripts. His latest research examines antisemitism in K-12 settings, and he is spearheading research exchanges focusing on schools that empower students in Arab, Jewish and other diverse communities in the Middle East and Los Angeles. Astor’s far-reaching impact on the field of school mental health was cited in three separate nominations he received for this year’s School Mental Health Research Award. “This interdisciplinary career award coming from such an important organization that does critical work for our schools means the world to me,” said Astor, who has a joint appointment at the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies. “I appreciate the recognition and hope to use it as a platform to spread peace and mental health support to our world’s children.”