Harvard Data Science Review Podcast

Oct 29 2024 46 ep. 35 mins 405

Harvard Data Science Review Podcast artwork

Brought to you by the award winning journal, Harvard Data Science Review, our podcast highlights news, policy, and business through the lens of data science. Each episode is a “case study” into how data is used to lead, mislead, manipulate, and inform the important decisions facing us today.

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Digesting 2024 Election Polls: How the Media Reports and Decodes the Numbers

Oct 29 2024 41 mins

The upcoming U.S. presidential race arrives at a time when many Americans are grappling with questions about poll accuracy and data reliability. This month, HDSR is joined by journalists Colby Hall and Leland Vittert for an in-depth look at how the media uses data to report and analyze elections and what past elections can teach us about 2024. We’ll discuss which data points are

If You Want to Be a Data Scientist (or a Player) for the NFL, This Is for You…

Sep 27 2024 32 mins

As September marks the start of the NFL regular season, this month's episode explores how data science and AI are used in professional football to make the sport more entertaining, competitive, and safe. How has the way data is used to enhance the game advanced? What is the most underutilized piece of data that could offer teams a significant advantage? How do teams balance human i

I Can’t Believe I Got Hacked! What Can We Do About Cybersecurity?

Aug 29 2024 40 mins

In July 2024, we witnessed one of the most significant internet disruptions in history when CrowdStrike released a faulty update to its security servers. This update impacted approximately 8.5 million systems, triggering outages across various sectors, including airlines, banks, stock markets, and even government emergency services. Even once activity was restored, threat actors so

How Many Glasses of Wine a Day Keeps the Doctor Away?

Jul 30 2024 45 mins

To celebrate HDSR’s 5th anniversary last month we hosted Vine to Mind, a symposium centered around wine and data science that featured leading experts from around the globe representing research and industry. The talks were so engaging that we decided to share some of the celebration with you at home. Today, we are joined by two of the esteemed symposium speakers, Laura Catena an

AI and Elections: A Conversation with Secretary Steve Simon of Minnesota

Jun 28 2024 39 mins

After the 2020 United States presidential election, there were widespread claims that the election was unfair, insecure, and in some instances, outright stolen. This outcry put election officials under intense scrutiny, particularly those in Secretary of State offices across the country. As we approach another presidential election season, it's crucial to address the most significa

Future Shock: Grappling With the Generative AI Revolution

May 31 2024 51 mins

This month we take some time to talk in depth about what exactly generative AI is, what it can do, and what it can’t do. In this special episode, derived from a webinar titled "Future Shock: Grappling With the Generative AI Revolution," host Xiao-Li Meng collaborates with Harvard’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences to tackle the topic of generative AI with the help of esteem

ChatGPT in the Classroom: Breeding More Cheaters or Better Learners?

Apr 25 2024 34 mins

Teaching the next generation of scholars has never been an easy task, but the recent boom of generative AI has introduced a new set of problems and opportunities for educators at all levels. This month we sit down with two experts and discuss the challenges and possibilities generative AI platforms pose for the education system. Are students becoming too reliant on technology? Will

Polling for 2024 U.S. Election: What Should Voters Look for and Trust?

Mar 28 2024 29 mins

As the U.S. approaches another presidential election, many of us are contemplating our beliefs, staying informed about election news, and at times, questioning the integrity of the voting polls. This month we delve into the upcoming House, Senate, and presidential elections with the help of two political polling experts. Where can we find reliable polls amidst an ocean of informati

What Does AI Buy Us or Cost Us? Views From the Financial Industry

Feb 23 2024 39 mins

The financial industry has a rich history of leveraging data for predictive purposes. From hedge funds employing regression analysis to fine-tune portfolios to individuals utilizing summary statistics in pursuit of the next groundbreaking startup, data has been a cornerstone of investment strategies for years. On today’s episode we sit down with two experts to explore how the rec

In God We Trust: Everyone Else Must Bring Data or Liberty

Jan 18 2024 32 mins

After the positive reception to our first listener question episode featuring co-host Xiao-Li Meng last August, we decided to start the new year with an exclusive interview with one of our most esteemed guests yet: HDSR’s own Liberty Vittert! For this special episode, Xiao-Li is joined by guest co-host, Arianwyn Frank, a producer of this podcast, a data science undergrad at Washi