Geoffrey Hing

geoffhing@gmail.com
OBJECTIVE
To use code and data to illuminate complex systems and hold them accountable.
EXPERIENCE
APM Reports, St. Paul, Minnesota
Data Reporter (January 2018 - Present)
• Used statistical methods to analyze police use-of-force data to identify variables
impacting Taser effectiveness
• Filed public records requests in jurisdictions across the U.S. to investigate Taser use in
fatal shootings by police
• Collaborated with investigative reporter partners around the country to add data
reporting to their stories
• Synthesized criminal justice and political science research to determine best practices
for data analysis and to contextualize my reporting
• Created charts, searchable databases and maps for publication and as reporting tools
National Public Radio, Washington, D.C.
News Apps Developer (September 2017 - December 2017)
• Quickly synthesized team practices, codebases and infrastructure to fill in for a
developer on family leave
• Created interactive visualizations for daily and long-term stories
• Used federal education data to analyze and visualize rates of student arrests in schools
• Helped develop project management practices for complex editorial projects involving
many stakeholders
City Bureau, Chicago, Illinois
Reporting Fellow (July 2017 - September 2017)
• Lead a small team of reporters investigating the immigration enforcement apparatus in
Chicago
• Interviewed lawyers, advocates, community members and family members of those
facing deportation to understand the impact of enforcement
• Used documents and data, some obtained through public records requests, to
understand agency policies
• Wrote news briefs about local law enforcement collaboration with federal immigration
authorities
Chicago Reporter, Chicago, Illinois
Data Visualization Fellow (July 2017 - September 2017)
• Developed an interactive tracker of Chicago Police Department reforms recommended
by the U.S. Department of Justice
• Used conversations with reporters and editors to inform designs that break a complex
topic into consumable pieces
Reed College of Media, West Virginia University
Media Innovation Fellow (January 2017 - March 2017)
• Wrote database software for collecting information about public meetings held by
congressional representatives
 • Used traditional reporting and automated aggregation of social media and press
releases to populate this database
• Published an interactive timeline of public meetings based on this reporting
• Developed a JavaScript library to facilitate making interactive maps of Appalachia

Freelance News Applications Developer, Chicago, Illinois

Freelance News Applications Developer (January 2017 - June 2017)
• Reported, analyzed data, wrote and generated charts for a story on the American
Health Care Act's potential impact on Cook County
• Developed a REST API using WordPress and Elasticsearch to provide data to an
interactive map
• Refactored an AngularJS codebase for an interactive map to use a component-based
architecture
Chicago Tribune, Chicago, Illinois
Senior News Applications Developer (December 2014 - November 2016)
• Developed interactive news applications covering topics such as police accountability,
public education, public health and sports
• Implemented data scraping, processing, analysis and publishing pipelines using
Python, R and PostgreSQL
• Designed and coded interactive charts and maps with JavaScript and the D3, Leaflet,
Backbone, and React libraries
• Coached teammates in Python and JavaScript software design patterns
• Maintained and documented the team's Amazon Web Services infrastructure
• Updated the team's publishing tools, allowing us to publish data-driven projects with
custom templates, styles and scripts to the company's CMS
OpenElections
Lead Developer (February 2014 - November 2014)
• Implemented a Python extract, transform and load framework to aggregate and
standardize election result data
• Maintained contributor documentation
• Supported and provided code reviews for volunteer developers
• Implemented tools using computer vision methods to extract tabular data from image
PDF files
Floodlight Project, Denver, Colorado
Lead Developer (January 2012 - November 2014)
• Designed and coded a community storytelling platform using open source technologies
• Used the Django framework to build a REST API to power a web-based story builder
built with Backbone
• Collaborated with a multidisciplinary team to design new features and establish
development timelines and priorities
• Implemented agile and test-driven development practices for the project and coached
other team members in these practices
• Initiated learning of JavaScript application design patterns, behavior driven
development, using Solr to power REST APIs, and caching strategies
 • Updated site templates using responsive design to support browsing across platforms

Food Genius, Chicago, Illinois

Developer (November 2011 - January 2012)
• Analyzed and joined census demographic data with proprietary data to generate food
trend reports
• Developed a Django web application to launch reporting queries using Amazon's
Elastic Map Reduce
• Developed a mobile web application using Food Genius' REST API to drive a real-time
restaurant crawl experience
• Designed and coded a web application, built with Flask, to test API dish suggestions
through user interactions that trigger charitable donations
• Co-authored documentation for the Food Genius API
• Wrote API client libraries for Node.js, PHP and Python
• Participated in collaborative design sessions as part of IDEO's startup in residence
program

Freelance Developer, Chicago, Illinois

Freelance Developer (October 2011 - November 2014)
• Implemented a Python data processing pipeline, open data packages and D3 and
Leaflet visualizations of Cook County, Illinois criminal convictions data
• Developed custom map tiles using TileMill and a utility wrapper around Mapbox.js for
mapping school evaluations in the Detroit metro area
• Implemented a directory of LGBTQ-friendly healthcare providers using lightweight
technologies including Google Spreadsheets, Node.js and the Assemble static site
builder
• Wrote a web scraper of childcare program data, integrating a number of state and non-
profit data sources
• Developed a custom Drupal theme and modules for a prototype website redesign for a
non-profit, social-justice-oriented publication
• Coached graduate journalism students in Drupal site building, HTML and CSS
• Deployed and customized the open source Pixel Ping pixel tracker to provide analytics
for progressive journalism projects

Metro Chicago Information Center, Chicago, Illinois

Web and Database Developer (March 2011 - October 2011)
• Deployed and wrote custom modifications for a public redistricting application built
using GeoDjango, GeoServer and OpenLayers
• Installed and administered Linux web and application servers in a highly-available,
virtualized environment
• Wrote custom Drupal modules and theme updates to integrate new spatial datasets into
MoveSmart, a housing search application
• Scraped, prepared and cleaned data using Python, Excel, OGR Utility Programs and
Quantum GIS
• Implemented developer project management, documentation and version control
practices
 • Maintained and refactored an ASP.NET survey instrument written in C#
Center for Research Libraries, Chicago, Illinois
Web and Digital Library Specialist (July 2009 - January 2010)
• Developed a custom Drupal theme and modules for a new organizational website
• Collaborated with content authors to architect content types, hierarchy and taxonomy,
and provide training in use of the new CMS
• Responsible for Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP administration and tuning
• Introduced source code management practices using Git to the organization
Indiana University: University Information Technology Services, Bloomington, IN
Research Technologies Core Services, Web and Database Developer (May 2007 - June 2009)
• Developed the Pervasive Technology Institute website by coding a custom theme and
modules for the Drupal CMS
• Designed, implemented and maintained web presences for different parts of the
Research Technologies organization
• Developed Python software to manage account creation and generate usage reports
for the university's supercomputers
• Collaborated with a team to manage and make decisions about projects
The Midwest Pages to Prisoners Project, Bloomington, IN
General Coordinator (September 2005 - June 2009)
• Managed operations of a project that sends free reading material to incarcerated
people throughout the Midwest
• Started and facilitated a reading discussion group for men incarcerated in the Monroe
County Jail
• Developed and presented popular education workshops about the organization's work
and prison issues to high school and college students
• Collaborated with Indiana University to develop service-learning opportunities
• Co-developed a web application for managing inmate book requests, sent and returned
packages, invoices and facility restrictions
• Performed media outreach to publicize the project's work and to share the experiences
and needs of incarcerated people
• Coordinated volunteer sessions with university and community groups
• Wrote and administered grants to provide funding for the project's ongoing operations
and new initiatives
Kiva Networking, Bloomington, IN
Technical Support, Tier 1 Support Associate (May 2004 - April 2007)
• Provided telephone and email technical support for corporate and residential Internet
access, email, web hosting and networking services
• Aided in system administration tasks including management of email and web hosting
accounts, management of DNS records, and development of management scripts
The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Incident Response Team, Student Programmer (April 2000 - September 2003)
• Used knowledge of UNIX operating systems, Remedy AR, and proprietary software
tools to analyze network data and respond to computer security incidents affecting the
university's network
 • Aided in development of the SITAR incident tracking software package using Perl
• Participated in the drafting of workflow policies for the group

Dell Computer Corporation, Round Rock, TX

Portable Sustaining Engineering, Co-op (September 1999 - December 1999, June 2000 -
September 2000, June 2001 - September 2001)
• Evaluated and qualified new vendor components
• Researched impact and exposure to critical product issues and worked with group
members to resolve these issues
• Developed software utilities to output system status information, monitor and test Smart
Batteries, test support for OEM-specific VESA extensions, and pre-install multi-platform
drivers
Cumberland Technologies International, Carlisle, PA
Network Administration Group (June 1999 - September 1999)
• Created maps documenting the configuration of the ISP's WAN and LAN; developed an
interactive web-based WAN map using Perl
• Completed research and analysis to plan ISP expansion
• Created Perl scripts for password file management and network monitoring using
SNMP
• Configured Linux servers and software packages such as qmail, Cucipop, and SSH for
Internet deployment
The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
ResNet, Student Consultant (September 1998 - June 1999)
• Provided phone and on-site technical support to users of the high-speed computer
network available to Ohio State students living in residence halls
• Participated in special project teams for network mapping and wiring problem resolution

Harrisburg Area Community College, Harrisburg, PA

Math/Science Learning Center, Tutor (January 1998 - August 1998)
• Tutored students in mathematics ranging from Pre-Algebra to Calculus III as well as the
Quick Basic, Visual Basic, Pascal, and C programming languages
• Managed and provided support for a small computer lab

EDUCATION
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
M.S. in Journalism, Overall G.P.A.: 3.79 (4.0 scale)
• Received a Knight Foundation Scholarship for programmer-journalists
• Developed a platform to forefront community priorities in reporting, news discussion and
discovery as part of a community media innovation project
• Concentrated in urban affairs reporting covering housing, race and gender issues in Chicago

The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

B.S. in Computer Science and Engineering, Overall G.P.A.: 3.81, Major G.P.A.: 3.79 (4.0 scale)
• Freshman Engineering Honors Program, Campus Honors Program
 • Dean's List
• Member of Phi Eta Sigma, Alpha Lambda Delta, Tau Beta Pi, and National Society of
Collegiate Scholars honor societies
• Graduated Magna Cum Laude
• Member of the university debate team
• Tutored students at Indianola Middle School through the university honors program.
• Member of Columbus United Students Against Sweatshops, a campus group working for
more just labor practices in the garment industry

CONFERENCE SESSIONS
• Computer-Assisted Reporting Conference (2019): Web scraping with Python
• FOIAFest (2019): Data and databases
• SRCCON:POWER (2018): What to do when you lose (energy)
• Computer-Assisted Reporting Conference (2018): Data cleaning and visualization with
Pandas and Matplotlib
• Computer-Assisted Reporting Conference (2017): Beyond objectivity - New standards for
building trust in journalism
• Computer-Assisted Reporting Conference (2016): Testing and debugging code in Python
• SRCCON (2016): Data analysis n ways
• Computer-Assisted Reporting Conference (2015): Advanced Python
• Allied Media Conference (2012-2013): Webmaking track coordinator
• Allied Media Conference (2010): DIY Technology track coordinator
• Allied Media Conference (2009): How-To track advisory board; recycled machine build
media lab project
• Allied Media Conference (2008): Be the web: using Web 2.0 innovations to organize and
connect

SKILLS
• Strong development skills in Python, JavaScript and PHP. Experience coding in R, C, C++,
C#, Java, Perl and Visual Basic
• Extensive experience with the Django, Flask, Node.js, jQuery, Backbone and React
frameworks. Familiarity with ASP.NET
• Proficient in CMS-based web development including custom theming and module/plugin
development for WordPress, Drupal and Django CMS
• Front-end development experience using HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript; familiarity with
front-end frameworks like Sass and Bootstrap
• Familiarity with data analysis and visualization practices and tools including QGIS,
OpenRefine, D3, Leaflet and TileMill
• Comfortable managing and contributing to software projects using version control systems
such as Git
• Successfully cooperates as a team member and implements practices and technologies to
facilitate collaboration
• Enjoys designing technical solutions with non-technical project stakeholders
 • Advanced writing and research skills; ability to apply these skills to provide context and
focus for technical projects
• Experience developing with and administering the MySQL and PostgreSQL relational
database management systems and the use of their spatial extensions; familiarity with
Microsoft SQL Server
• Familiarity with document-based databases including MongoDB and CouchDB
• Years of Linux system administration experience including deployment using the Apache
and Nginx web servers in virtualized and cloud-hosted environments such as Amazon Web
Services
• Able to quickly acquire and integrate new tools, programming languages and technologies
• Easily switches between diverse platforms and projects

ACTIVITIES AND INTERESTS

• Running, cycling, soccer, hiking and other outdoor activities
• Writing and performing music
• Organized a science fair for adults to support lifelong, non-professional exploration in
STEAM fields
• Co-organized and staffed a monthly pop-up diner to divert food waste and help fund
community projects