Data science, as a field, tends to get obscured by so many buzzwords (“AI!” “Deep learning!” “Big data!”) that relate to what we can do, without a lot about why we would do it in the first place. It’s a growing field, with so much potential, but I think it’s important to shift the narrative. Yes, data-science, but why? Technologies progress and develop, data becomes more prolific and useful. How can data-scientist help the rest of the world catch up?

During this episode data-scientist Jo Kroese will tell us all about data-science. What data-science is, how data-science is different than information or traditional research, what impact data-science can make within sustainable development, and how you can become a more data-driven organisation. 

Jo Kroese is a data scientist who believes data can help us build a world that is more joyful and just. This idea has led Jo to work in diverse areas; from calculating the number of fish caught in the sea to estimating femalte genital mutilation in Ethiopia, from developing tech that responds to heart attacks to improving resource allocation at domestic abuse centres.

In 2019, they founded the company Citizense. Citizense use data to guide organisations through the first and most crucual step of creating social good: understanding the wants ands needs of people. Their work is now driivng the projects of non-profits, governments and social enterprises throughout Europe. Outside Citizense, Jo runs the Radical Data Project, a blog exploring new ways of using data in development, art and activism.