Data Nation

MIT-IDSS
  • 5.0 (20)
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
Data Nation

We face many overwhelming challenges in America today: systemic racism, data privacy, and political 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 Munther Dahleh 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 MIT's Institute for Data, Systems, and Society.

  1. FEB 25

    Rising Tensions and Sea Levels: Advancing Extreme Weather Policy and Technology

    Today on Data Nation, we are speaking with Kerry Emanuel and Kelvin Droegemeier to better understand extreme weather prevention and technology. Together, we’ll explore extreme weather displacement, changing weather conditions, and the legislation behind natural disaster procedures and measures.  With Kerry Emanuel’s expertise in meteorology and extreme weather prediction as well as Kelvin Droegemeier’s legislation work as the Former Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, today’s episode will provide insightful and credible conversation on this topic.   With millions of Americans at risk from climate change, it is crucial to understand where laws and technology are shifting in the world of extreme weather events.

    48 min

  2. JAN 30

    Money, Sports, and Data: The World of College Athletics

    In this episode, we dive into the rapidly evolving world of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) with Michael Schwimer, CEO of Big League Advantage and Alabama Men’s Basketball’s secret weapon to making it to the Final Four for the first time in school history.    First, we explore the origins of NIL, the NCAA’s initial resistance, and the mechanics of NIL deals, including how collectives operate. Schwimer shares insights on the opportunities and pitfalls of NIL and the long-term implications of NIL for athletes, especially female athletes.    Secondly, we dive into how data analytics can revolutionize roster-building in the NIL era. Schwimer explains how Big League Advantage is shaping data science in college athletics, and he offers a behind-the-scenes look at the thought process that was behind helping Alabama's Men’s Basketball team reach the Final Four with minimal NIL spending.    This episode is a must-listen for anyone curious about the intersection of sports, money, and data in the collegiate world.

    52 min

  3. 12/16/2024

    Beyond Botox: The Future and Ethics of Anti-Aging Technologies

    Today on Data Nation, we are speaking with Jeffrey Karp and Daniel Belsky to explore the future of anti-aging technologies. Together, we’ll explore the accuracy of biological age tests, the ethics of anti-aging technologies, and how to ensure these innovations benefit more than just the wealthy. With Jeffrey Karp’s expertise in brain health and creating biomedical advancements in the Karp Lab and Daniel Belsky’s work in aging and healthspan research at the Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center, today’s episode will provide insightful and credible conversation on this topic.   With anti-aging and healthspan being a concern for many people’s future, it is crucial to understand where these technologies are shifting towards.

    42 min

  4. 11/26/2024

    2024 Election Debrief: What actually happened?

    The 2024 election was a time of tension and polarization amongst Americans. With these pressures, according to Associated Press elections data, over 153 million Americans felt the need to cast their ballot this year. Polls leading up to the election painted it as one of the tightest races in history, with The New York Times even reporting that “In the history of modern polling, there’s never been a race where the final polls showed such a close contest”. In a race with incredibly tight polls, many were shocked when Donald Trump won by a margin far larger than anticipated. A post-election survey conducted by Prolific found that over half of Americans, from both political parties, were shocked by the results with “54% of people at least quite surprised by the outcome of the election”. On top of the tension between Democrats and Republicans, other stressors divided Americans further with debates over voter fraud and geopolitical conflicts. With millions of mail-in ballots cast, thousands of voter fraud claims flooded social media platforms. Additionally, an increase in American media coverage of the Israel-Palestine conflict sparked lots of debate over Biden’s global policies and how affected demographics will be voting.  Overall, the 2024 Presidential election is a huge moment in American history and will shape the country’s future. So today we are speaking with Spencer Kimball, founding Director of the Emerson College Polling Center, and Charlie Rollason, a Senior Research Manager for Ipsos to unpack the election’s outcomes and how Americans really voted in 2024.

    33 min

  5. 10/24/2024

    What is going to happen on Nov 5, 2024?

    Today on Data Nation, guests John Della Volpe and Scott Tranter join us to discuss the approaching 2024 U.S. presidential election. Together, we’ll explore the many factors at play in the 2024 election from discussing the role of Gen Z voters and the use of social media in campaigning to the importance of swing state voters. Our guests bring fascinating insights with John Della Volpe, the Director of polling at the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics, and the author of “Fight: How Gen Z is Channeling Their Fear and Passion to Save America”, and Scott Tranter, head of data science and  owner of Decision Desk HQ, Former Director of Data Science for Marco Rubio for President, and co-founder of Øptimus.  Ultimately, there’s so much strategy and a multitude of factors surrounding the 2024 U.S. presidential election, and the results will undoubtedly shape the future of our country and our democracy.

    32 min

  6. 09/25/2024

    The D in Democracy stands for Data

    With Election Day nearing, this episode explores the relationships between polling and election digitalization with experts Andrew Gelman, a statistician and political scientist at Columbia University, and Brendan Lind, the founder of Human Agency - a company specializing in creating digital footprints for companies and individuals.    Co-hosts Liberty Vittert and Munther Dahleh lead conversation to unpack polling methodologies, the implications on campaign strategy of the "bandwagon" and "underdog" effects, how data can be leveraged to target key demographics and swing states, the influence of social media on public opinion, and more. Tune in to Data Nation for an insightful discussion that unpacks the role of data in our democracy!

    39 min

  7. 02/29/2024

    Driving technology change

    Why are they using more electric cars in Norway than in the US? What are the underlying mechanisms that drive technological change, and how can we influence them? What is ‘soft technology’ and what role can it play in lowering carbon emissions? In the season 2 finale of Data Nation, IDSS professor Jessika Trancik explains how her lab attempts to measure and model a technology’s real or potential impact, beneficial or harmful, on people, the environment, society — and on critical outcomes like mitigating climate change.

    39 min

  8. 12/12/2023

    Profit and profiteering in the housing market

    When Maxwell Frost was elected to Congress, he struggled to find housing in DC. Today he advocates for stronger consumer protections and authors legislation to level the playing field between renters and landlords. Frost joins Data Nation along with Catherine D’Ignazio, an Urban Science and Planning professor at MIT, to talk about the challenges renters and home buyers face, how algorithmic technology perpetuates discrimination, and the importance of understanding where data comes from and who benefits from usi

    29 min
See All (23)

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About

We face many overwhelming challenges in America today: systemic racism, data privacy, and political 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 Munther Dahleh 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 MIT's Institute for Data, Systems, and Society.

Information

  • Creator
    MIT-IDSS
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2022 MIT's Institute for Data, Systems, and Society
  • Show Website
    Data Nation

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