Stats and Stories
Lying With Statistics | Stats + Stories Episode 174
Release Date: 2/4/2021Guest: Joel Best
If the last year’s done anything, it’s made clear how important statistics and data can be to our understanding of the world. It’s not just statisticians and public health officials pouring over things like positivity rates or infection rates, the general public’s also become more familiar with the concepts. But, sometimes, highly visible data can lead to some highly suspect conclusions. And bad data, like bad romance, can lead to bad decisions. Damned lies and dubious data are the focus of this episode of Stats and Stories with guest Joel Best.
The Recent (Regrettable) Rise of Race Science | Stats + Stories Episode 173
Release Date: 1/28/2021Guest: Angela Saini
Race science – the belief that there are inherent biological differences between human races – has been “repeatedly debunked” in the words of the Guardian, and yet, like a pseudo-scientific hydra it raises its heard every so often. Most recently race science is the return of scientific racism is the focus of this episode of Stats and Stories, where we explore the statistics behind the stories and the stories behind the statistics with guest Angela Saini.
Making Decisions During the Pandemic | Stats + Stories Episode 172
Release Date: 1/21/2021Guest: Baruch Fischhoff
Risk is a tricky thing. We like to think we understand it but when it gets down to brass tacks it can be harder to wrap your brain around things like acceptable or unacceptable risk. How do you define it how do people understand risk. The COVID-19 pandemic has only highlighted the trouble we sometimes have understanding risk, communicating risk is a focus of this episode of Stats and Stories with Baruch Fischhoff.
Sports Data in the U.K. | Stats + Stories Episode 171
Release Date: 1/14/2021Guest: Robert Mastrodomenico
Mastrodomenico is a fellow of the Royal Statistical Society as well as owner and founder of his statistical consulting company Global Sports Statistics.. He is also the Chair of RSS’ Statisticians for Society initiative since its inception in 2017. He is also an RSS Statistical Ambassador, which involves regular work with the media in assisting with their reporting of statistical issues.
Octopus: A New Way To Publish | Stats + Stories Episode 170
Release Date: 1/7/2021Guest: Alexandria Freeman
Scientific publications drive science, well that's stating the obvious, isn't it, but the form and way it's processed is historic. It's historic in the sense that there are journals that are gatekeepers, their editors that are sending out submissions to reviewers, who are then providing comments, and then it's almost that it's set in stone and locked in place for the future. But there are challenges to this and one of the challenges is the focus of this episode of Stats+Short Stories with guest Alexandra Freeman.