The IDEMS Podcast IDEMS International
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- Science
Stories from a social enterprise that uses mathematical sciences in impact-oriented work around the world. Our experiences range from helping some of the world's poorest farmers get value from data, to enabling academics to use AI responsibly in their teaching. We never know what our next task will be but the last 6 years have shown that it is likely to lead to a story.
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061 – Simplicity vs Complexity
IDEMS works on complex, real world problems, but what does complexity mean? Lucie and David discuss the concepts of simplicity and complexity, with David suggesting that mathematics can be seen as a realm of simplicity compared to the complex real world. They touch on the dangers of oversimplifying problems and highlight how modern research tends to overvalue simplicity.
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060 – Teaching Data Science
In this episode, Lily and David consider foundational data skills in data science education. They discuss Lily's recent teaching experience at the doctoral training school in Kigali, Rwanda, as part of the AIMS initiative. The conversation explores the significance of teaching basic yet essential data handling and analysis skills to data science students, emphasising how these foundational abilities are often overlooked in conventional education but are critical in the real-world application of data science and responsible AI.
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059 – Inception Meetings: IDEMS’ Pathways to Supporting Project Beginnings
How do you get a project off to a good start? In IDEMS’ Research Methods Support work for the Global Collaboration for Resilient Food Systems (CRFS) in West Africa, we facilitate Inception Meetings to support projects make the right decisions. David and Lucie reflect on 9 CRFS projects’ joint Inception Meetings held in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.
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058 – Farmer Research Networks
We’re used to participatory research with farmers, but what does scalable participatory farmer-focused research look like? Lucie and David discuss this principled approach to agroecological research, which has the potential to not only create great benefits for researchers and farmers alike, but to also shake up research systems and power dynamics between researchers and the community.
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057 – Empowering Mathematics Educators with STACK
Santiago Borio and David Stern discuss STACK, an open-source online assessment tool for mathematics and STEM subjects. They explore how STACK can provide scalable and effective feedback across diverse educational settings, emphasizing its success in universities with large class sizes and limited resources, particularly in Kenya and other similar environments. They reflect on the value of community in open source educational initiatives.
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056 – Responsible Research and Modelling
Lily Clements and David Stern discuss their recent collaboration with a PhD student on complex data modelling. They highlight the challenges of accurate statistical interpretation, the importance of responsible research practices, and the need for more accessible modelling tools. Their conversation underscores the significance of improving data skills to enhance the reliability of research and AI applications.