I have done several standalone databases and have collaborated with other reporters on special projects. Here are some recent examples of my favorite projects.
Michigan baby name database
In the summer of 2013, there was so much buzz about the Royal Baby that I kept thinking about all things related to newborns. I found data from the Social Security Administration on baby names. I put together a searchable database of the frequency of names given to babies born in Michigan from 1910 to 2012. [Link]
Wolf attacks in Michigan
One of my colleagues was working on a major project about Michigan’s first wolf hunt. He asked me if we could do a database of all the reported wolf attacks. Coming from the DNR, it was messy, but we were able to clean it up. Since readers don’t know the county-by-county break down of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, I was able to format the data and allow readers to search by the types of animals attacked. This was the first time the information was easily made available to the public. [Link]