Strategies to build a strong AsiaR Community

Abstract

R has been a very inclusive community and collective learning has always helped, with many users of R in Asian countries we can as well have a strongly knit community for R’s users. Inspired by the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) R, AfricaR, and LatinR user groups, we propose a similar incubator to connect and strengthen the R community in Asia. We aim to target participants who are active R users and/or learners who have not been engaged with any R community and we want to invite successful R developers/educators/community leaders in various Asian countries. Our goal is to build a diverse and vibrant R community within Asia. We wish to connect Asian useRs to each other, identify Asian R speakers/participants, and facilitate regular webinars, workshops. We want to address the lower participation of Asians, especially Asian Underrepresented Minorities in local meetups and international conferences like useR! 2021, discuss and learn about best practices for nucleating and sustaining an engaged community. We also would like to understand how people from various backgrounds and organisations engage the community for assistance. We also wish to build a strong enough community to host an AsiaR conference in the upcoming years.

Goals

To build a diverse and vibrant R community within Asia

• Connect Asian useRs to each other
• Identify Asian R speakers/participants and facilitate regular webinars, workshops
• Build a strong enough community to host an AsiaR conference in 2022/2023
• Discuss and learn about best practices for nucleating and sustaining an engaged community. Specifically, address the lower participation of Asians, specifically Asian URMs in local meetups and international conferences like useR! 2021.
• Engage with people from various backgrounds and organisations to understand how they lean on the community for assistance.