In this episode, Harvard Data Science Review digs into the world of disinformation and misinformation, and the difference between them. Is the weaponization of both a new phenomenon or is history repeating itself? How has social media and the democratized access to published information contributed to today’s sensationalized headlines?  Hosts Xiao-Li Meng and Liberty Vittert explore these questions and more with the help of two experts on the topic, Scott Tranter, CEO and founder of Optimus Analytics and Hany Farid, Professor at the University of California, Berkeley with a joint appointment in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science and the School of Information.  

What is the value of art? Is it in the eye of the beholder or can data analytics tools place a monetary value on beauty? Hosts Xiao-Li Meng and Liberty Vittert explore the use of data and technology in the art world with guests Jason Bailey, CEO and founder of Artnome and author of “Can Machine Learning Predict the Price of Art at Auction?” for HDSR and  Dan Cameron, American art curator, writer, and educator.

What are the biggest predictors of an Oscar win?  What are the pros and cons of using quantitative vs. qualitative data? Has the film industry’s increased use of streaming services impacted Oscar predictions? Hosts Xiao-Li Meng and Liberty Vittert investigate these questions and more by speaking with two renowned Oscar awards predictors: Boston Globe film critic and columnist Ty Burr and Ben Zauzmer, author of Oscarmetrics: The Math Behind the Biggest Night in Hollywood and the HDSR article, "Oscar Seasons: The Intersection of Data and the Academy Awards".

Data science is huge in sports, and it's not just game stats anymore.  Player and ball tracking data are changing the way major sports leagues play games.

We dive into how these data are analyzed and what the results mean to coaches and teams with Kirk Goldsberry, NBA analyst at ESPN and author of Sprawlball, and Brian Macdonald, Faculty in Sports Analytics at Carnegie Mellon University, the author of “Recreating the Game: Using Player tracking Data to Analyze Dynamics in Basketball and Football” for HDSR.  

Xiao-Li Meng and Liberty Vittert speak with relationship experts Drs. Julie and John Gottman. Listen to find out how to ensure your relationship lasts the test of time.