SoiferI VtP Collaboration Biography

I have background in creative writing, including short stories, theater skits, and especially poetry/spoken word (I’ve published some as well as presented it). In addition, I am an active photographer and try to implement the use of photography in whatever fieldwork I am doing. In both Houston and New York City, I took photographs to get a sense of space/place. In addition, I had some practice with putting together a short film for Roxanne Varzi’s course, as well as web design and data visualization while working for the Center for Houston’s Future (think-tank) as a Strategic Initiatives Coordinator. As part of a project on community indicators, I did research on such indicators as health, education, public safety, natural environment, and “civic vitality” and built Tableau visualizations and GIS maps depicting data for the Indicators website. In addition, I collaborated with the Communications Department to launch the Indicators website (www.houstonindicators.org). Finally, I assisted a professor with creating a website for the purposes of advertising an art exhibit, “Cuba Transnational.”