This month, we are diving into the important and currently hot topic of artificial intelligence. Do we think rising platforms like ChatGPT are going to be running the world anytime soon? Does technology not only have the ability to be intelligent, but also rational? In this episode we get the pleasure of discussing these issues with Steven Pinker, an experimental cognitive psychologist and a popular writer on language, mind, and human nature. Listen to the conversation and find out what...

On today’s episode we commemorate the publication of the Kinsey Reports, two scholarly books by Alfred Kinsey on human sexual behavior, Sexual Behavior in the Human Male (1948) and Sexual Behavior in the Human Female (1953). These reports were among the earliest research studies to look at sexual behavior, but they also raise important questions for the data science community concerning ethics and bias. We explore those questions and more with the help of two experts.  Our Guests: Dr. Justin...

What can data tell us when it comes to how our money is invested? Are there data science tools that can help us manage the ups and downs of the financial markets? How has machine learning impacted forecasting? Can we rely on AI for investment advice? On today’s episode we explore these questions and more during a deep dive discussion on financial markets with our expert guest, Professor Andrew Lo. Our Guest: Andrew W. Lo is the Charles and Susan Harris Professor of Finance at the MIT Sloan...

It's the post-holiday season and the time when people are focused on self-improvement and getting in shape for the new year. But how do we keep and meet our fitness goals? How many days a week should we exercise? Do diet and food tracking apps actually work? In this episode we explore the data on fitness and health and discover successful strategies for keeping those New Year’s goals.   Our guests: Dr. Michele Patel, clinical psychologist and instructor at Stanford University School of...

For centuries religion has played an important role in shaping our society as a whole and determining the basis of life/purpose for individuals. Whether it’s several daily prayers, Sunday church, or the determination of what time you can eat, religion dictates day-to-day life for many. In this episode, we explore religion’s relationship to health and civic society.  Can religious practices deeply increase your quality of life, or even save it? What does the data tell us? Our guests are: Dr....

In this month’s episode, we dive into the glamorous side of data science by exploring the ways the field is being integrated in the beauty and fashion industries. We talk to two experts, a plastic surgeon and a fashion designer, about the tools and techniques they use. Our guests are: Dr. Heather Levites, a fellowship-trained plastic surgeon with a special interest in advanced cosmetic surgery. She earned her undergraduate degree at MIT, her MD from the State University of New York at Stony...

With the 2022 U.S. midterms right around the corner, this month’s podcast is all about elections. Who is going to win and why? In today's episode, we talk to four experts about their predictions for the upcoming midterm elections in November and how these elections might impact the presidential race in 2024.  Our guests are: Caroline Carlson, Senior Data Science Analyst at Dynata and Analyst for Decision Desk HQ Ryan Enos, Professor of Government and Director of the Center for American...

Today we discuss the most important element of our lives: our health. We do so by diving into personalized medicine, or more specifically, personalized (N-of-1) trials  – clinical trials in which a single patient is the entire trial. For this episode, we invited two editors of Harvard Data Science Review’s special issue on N-of-1 trials and data science to help us examine all aspects of these clinical trials designed for a population of one person. Our guests: Dr. Karina Davidson, Senior...

The effects of drinking is a constant news headline. Every month or so, there seems to be a new study released that weighs the benefits and risks of drinking alcohol. Is some level of alcohol good for your health or should everyone completely avoid drinking? On today’s episode we invited two experts with differing views on alcohol consumption to help us examine the data and decide. Our guests: Emmanuela Gakidou, Professor of Health Metrics Sciences and Senior Director of Organizational...

For today’s episode we embark on part two of our discussion on the U.S. Census.  Protecting the data privacy of survey respondents has always been a central consideration for the U.S Census Bureau, and throughout its history, many methods have been developed and implemented. For the 2020 Census, the Bureau adopted a new form of privacy protection—differential privacy which was received with mixed reaction. To further understand why the Census Bureau adopted this new form of privacy...

While most Americans have heard of the U.S. Census and understand that it is designed to count every resident in the United States every 10 years, many may not realize that the Census’s role goes far beyond the allocation of seats in Congress.  For this episode, we invited the three co-editors of Harvard Data Science Review’s special issue on the U.S. Census to help us explore what the Census is, what it’s used for, and how the data it collects should remain both private and useful.   Our...

In this episode we dive into the data on refugees and immigration. American public opinion seems very divided on these issues, but is it really? Is the U.S. more or less welcoming to refugees and immigrants than other parts of the world? How has disinformation influenced politics? Will the U.S. Southern Border, Ukraine, and other potential refugee crises affect the upcoming political elections in the U.S.? We bring in two experts to help discuss: Professor Katharine Donato holds the Donald...

In this episode we discuss the hotly debated topic of marijuana legalization. While 18 states have legalized recreational marijuana and the United States House of Representatives just passed a landmark marijuana legalization bill, cannabis is still an illegal substance under federal law in the United States.  With the help of two experts, we dive into the data behind the arguments for and against the legalization of marijauna. Our guests: Dr. Silvia Martins, MD, PhD, Director of the...

Does life exist elsewhere in the universe? It's a question as old as time. On this month’s episode of the HDSR podcast we find out everything there is to know about life beyond earth by talking to the foremost experts who seek data and evidence to investigate the question, “Are we alone?” Our guests are: Abraham (Avi) Loeb, the Frank B. Baird, Jr., Professor of Science at Harvard University, Director of the Galileo Project and the Black Hole Initiative at Harvard University, and the...

Recommender systems have become omnipresent in our everyday lives exemplified by Netflix telling us what movies to watch, to Amazon suggesting which books we should read, to Instacart promoting specific brands we must buy. We are constantly being influenced and seduced by these algorithms and the humans who designed them. On this month’s HDSR podcast we examine the pros and cons of recommender systems as well as the art, passion, and creativity that can be lost when we rely too heavily on...

Love is the topic of this Valentine’s Day episode of the HDSR Podcast. How do you find it and how do you make it last?  ​​Dating apps are a commonplace way for couples to meet and relationships to form, but do they help to make real love connections? With the help of two experts, we dive into the world of dating apps and discover how they can help and hinder your search for love. We also explore matchmaking services and discuss how working with a professional matchmaker might be more...

In this episode we examine the use of secret or black box algorithms for high-stake decisions, particularly in the criminal justice system. How do they factor in the decisions made every day by state and federal courts concerning bail, sentencing, and parole? Are black box algorithms fair and unbiased? Do they help counteract or support societal prejudices?  Is their use in criminal justice cases serving the public’s best interest? We discuss these issues and more with two experts on the...

‘Tis the season to be merry and bright, and doesn’t a glass of wine go a long way to help ring in the festivities?  We think so because this month's episode of the HDSR Podcast is devoted to the wine industry – from production to consumption.  We discuss the impact of COVID on the global supply chain, the idiosyncrasies of local government regulations, the effects climate change is having on traditional and emerging grape growing regions, how winemakers use data analysis, and most important,...

On this episode we examine how the U.S. government collects data to serve the public and how to ensure such a process does not hurt the people it aims to serve. We discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of this topic including privacy issues, the 2020 U.S. Census, how well-intended methods may adversely affect minority populations, and why it’s important for local communities to collect and report their own data. We also ask how transparent should the federal government be about its...

This episode focuses on the art and science of measuring public opinion. We discuss the challenges pollsters face when trying to predict how public opinion may change over time, review both the innovative and time-tested methods of polling and discover which recent polls have revealed the most surprising data.  Our guests are Kristen Soltis Anderson, pollster, speaker, commentator, author and co-founder of Echelon Insights, an opinion research and analytics firm; and Cliff Young, President...

On this episode we explore all things AI with our guests Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer, hosts of the popular AI Today podcast and principal analysts and managing partners of Cognilytica, an AI research and advisory firm. With Kathleen and Ron, we discuss the spread of AI in our lives, from autonomous vehicles to Taco Bell’s new automatic drive thru lanes. But has too much been promised and not delivered? Are we on the brink of an AI winter, where development and investment cool down? We...

Over 30% of the world’s data is comprised of healthcare data with the U.S. government arguably collecting the largest portion. On this month’s episode of the Harvard Data Science Review Podcast, we explore all things healthcare data with the help of two experts who provide their perspectives from the public and private sectors.  Our guests are Justin Fanelli, Chief Architect of Defense Medical Intelligence Data and the Technical Director at the Naval Information Warfare Center and Michelle...

This month’s episode focuses on the increasing role of data science in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders.  It explores how statistical tools like adaptive testing are being successfully deployed to rapidly identify people with high levels of depression, anxiety or suicide risk. It also examines how the data science community could further improve its efforts to support mental health research and policymaking. Our guests are Margarita Alegria, Chief of the Disparities...

In this episode, Harvard Data Science Review digs into the world of disinformation and misinformation, and the difference between them. Is the weaponization of both a new phenomenon or is history repeating itself? How has social media and the democratized access to published information contributed to today’s sensationalized headlines?  Hosts Xiao-Li Meng and Liberty Vittert explore these questions and more with the help of two experts on the topic, Scott Tranter, CEO and founder of Optimus...