Data Nation

Latest Episodes:

Counting ZZZs: What Brain Data Tells Us about Anesthesia and Sleep Mar 07, 2023

Show notes

In this episode of Data Nation, we're talking all about anesthesia and sleep with Dr. Emery Brown. Dr. Brown is a Professor in IDSS and Brain and Cognitive Sciences at MIT, as well as Professor of Anesthesia at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital.

Data Nation is hosted by Professor Liberty Vittert and Dr. Munther Dahleh, the head of MIT's Institute for Data, Systems, and Society.

Data Nation is a production of MIT's Institute for Data, Systems, and Society.

The Data Dilemma of Racial Profiling Oct 27, 2022

Show notes

A Native American man gets pulled over for driving a nice car, a black man is arrested in front of his family for a crime he didn't commit – innocent people are at risk because of racial profiling. But to stop profiling, you have to first identify it, and that's not as easy as it seems. Liberty and Scott are going deep into data in this episode, investigating how data is used against marginalized communities, and how it should be used to protect and serve them. They go to the experts to find out which methods are failing, what solutions can mitigate the dangers of facial recognition technology and smart policing, and how we know we've succeeded in ending profiling.

Liberty and Scott speak with Craig Watkins, Martin Luther King Jr. visiting professor at MIT; and Brandon Del Pozo, former police chief in NYC and Vermont.

Data Nation is a production of the MIT Institute for Data, Systems, and Society and Voxtopica.

Robot Doctors, Who's a Fan of Them? Oct 20, 2022

Show notes

Artificial intelligence – it's not the easiest thing to trust when it comes to our healthcare. I mean, will AI replace our doctors in the future? There's a lot of uncertainty about algorithms deciding our medical fate, so Liberty and Scott are getting the truth on AI's role in healthcare. They go to the experts to explore the problems behind biased algorithms and faulty diagnoses, and discover if AI will cause harm to patients or if it will progress the medical field farther than it could ever go.

Liberty and Scott talk with Caroline Uhler, co-Director of the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Center at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard; and Niels Olson, Chief Medical Officer at the United States Defense Innovation Unit.

Data Nation is a production of the MIT Institute for Data, Systems, and Society and Voxtopica.

What in the World is the Metaverse? Oct 13, 2022

Show notes

Depending on who you are, when someone brings up the metaverse, you either get really excited, or you have no clue what they're talking about. Or both! Liberty and Scott have each found themselves in one of these boats. So they're diving deep into the data to find out what in the world the metaverse actually is, what it's not, and if it's going to be a thing that helps society flourish, or if it will be our demise. They talk with experts to get clear definitions and to find out if we'll be living in a virtual reality world years from now.

Liberty and Scott speak with Joe Paradiso, director of the MIT Media Lab's Responsive Environments Group; and Eric Ravenscraft, technology writer for WIRED

Data Nation is a production of the MIT Institute for Data, Systems, and Society and Voxtopica.

The Dark Side to the Data Economy Oct 06, 2022

Show notes

"Shh! Google is listening," your mom points at her Alexa. You roll your eyes, but you know there's some truth to it. Your data is being tracked. The question is, where's it going, what are they doing with it, and how are they getting it? Liberty and Scott are investigating just how dangerous the data economy really is and if people truly need to be worried. They look for answers from MIT professor and former scientist at Facebook Dean Eckles, and New York Times technology columnist Kevin Roose to find the truth behind data privacy and how we can protect ourselves.

Want more resources & information on this episode? Check out our website.

Data Nation is a production of the MIT Institute for Data, Systems, and Society and Voxtopica.

The Deadly Epidemic That's Gone on Too Long Sep 29, 2022

Show notes

It's a killer that's been swept under the rug. The leading cause of death for 18–45-year-olds in America is opioid overdose, and deaths are only increasing. Liberty and Scott want to know, why is this decades-old epidemic still taking so many lives? They're getting the facts on the opioid crisis, looking at the local community and financial perspectives to get the truth. They go to the experts to explore the local community perspective and the financial aspect to discover the solutions that can stop more Americans from dying of opioid overdoses.

They speak with Andrew Lo, professor of finance at the MIT Sloan School of Management; and with Chief Tom Synan, chief of police in Ohio.

Data Nation is a production of the MIT Institute for Data, Systems, and Society and Voxtopica.

Credit Scores, No Friend of Ours Sep 22, 2022

Show notes

You apply for an apartment, and they ask for your credit score. You shudder. Perhaps for a good reason, it's possible that credit scores are more sinister than we realized. Liberty and Scott are getting to the bottom of credit scores to find just how antagonistic credit scores are to people from underserved communities seeking quality housing. They look for answers from Prof. Munther Dahleh, Director of MIT IDSS, and Yuri Beckelman, staff director at the US House of Representatives to find out who credit scores hurt the most and what alternative solutions can work for everyone–lenders, landlords, and borrowers included.

Data Nation is a production of the MIT Institute for Data, Systems, and Society and Voxtopica.

Misinformation…Democracy's Downfall? Sep 15, 2022

Show notes

2016 and 2020 ー not exactly our smoothest years in American election history. Mention them to anyone and you'll likely enter an intense conversation about which side spewed misinformation to unfairly win each election. Misinformation was certainly out there, but did it actually sway these elections? Liberty and Scott investigate if misinformation is a weapon we need to be worried about, or if it's the new norm of political tools. They're getting answers from the director of the MIT Political Experiments Research Lab Adam Berinsky, and former director of public policy at Facebook Katie Harbath, to find out how much misinformation in politics influences our democracy and if anything can be done to prevent widespread damage.

Data Nation is a production of the MIT Institute for Data, Systems, and Society and Voxtopica.

Analytics, Are They Ruining Sports? Sep 08, 2022

Show notes

Fans argue that analytics are ruining sports. Professional teams say they aren't. And sports bettors are finding that data may be their new secret weapon. Liberty and Scott investigate if tracking data in sports will eventually ruin the game. They're going to the co-founder of the MIT Sports Lab Anette "Peko" Hosoi, and president of the New England Revolution Brian Bilello to find out what the future of sports analytics is and how anyone can use the data to get the upperhand in betting.

Data Nation is a production of the MIT Institute for Data, Systems, and Society and Voxtopica.

Introducing Data Nation Aug 19, 2022

Show notes

We face a lot of overwhelming challenges today in America–systemic racism, data privacy, misinformation. These are big problems, and there are a lot of opinions and ideas on how to fix them. Scholars and industry experts often disagree on how to find solutions. So, how can we find the right way to move forward? We let the data speak for itself. Join hosts Liberty Vittert and Scott Tranter as they gather data and get the facts about today's most pressing problems to find out, are solutions even possible? They'll investigate with MIT professors dedicated to researching these issues, and talk with the people on the ground encountering these problems every day so that we can find the best solutions that triumph over these challenges and solve America's biggest problems.

Data Nation is a production of the MIT Institute for Data, Systems, and Society and Voxtopica.

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