Tom Grubisich is the editorial director of the Local America Web project in development that will be featured at the College of Charleston-sponsored DIG SOUTH 2014 interactive festival in Charleston in mid-April. Local America’s mission is to present ratings on how communities perform across a broad spectrum of livability — based on data and how the community reacts to that data. Our demo will cover metro Charleston, and it will be unveiled during a panel discussion on Friday, April 11, at DIG SOUTH 2014. Our partner in the demo will be Tableau, the New York-based data visualization company whose interactive charts and maps help communities like Charleston and businesses turn raw information into knowledge they need to make good decisions about key issues. Charleston is in the midst of a community-wide undertaking to become a knowledge economy, and the College of Charleston is one of the key participants in this wide-ranging, five-year initiative. The College is especially involved in the “Cradle to Career” part of the regional initiative, and also participating in the examination of coastal water and development issues.
Grubisich and his company have internships available for journalism students who might be especially interested in being part of this project. Data and its visualization are becoming key components of how community news is developed and presented in the digital space, and because the demo will feature both, it will present a great opportunity for students to immerse themselves in cutting-age digital journalism.
Applicants can email your letter of interest and cover letter to Mr. Grubisich at tom@localamerica.com.