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Should your university reopen in the fall? Let mathematical modeling guide the way

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic this past spring saw universities across the country close their campuses and teachers rapidly transition their curriculums to a virtual classroom setting. Now, after months of social distancing and online learning, these same institutions are looking ahead to the fall semester. Simultaneously however, as states are beginning the process of reopening, many at different rates, we are also seeing a spike in infection rates. So in the face of this, can universities safely reopen their campuses? The answer may truly surprise you. Joining me to discuss how his university is approaching the upcoming fall…

Tags: Cornell University, COVID-19, epidemiological modeling, online learning, pandemic, Peter Frazier, school reopening

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Special Edition of Resoundingly Human Featuring Congressman Jerry McNerney, PhD, Co-Chair of the Congressional Artificial Intelligence Caucus

In this episode, a first for the Resoundingly Human podcast, I am joined by Congressman Jerry McNerney, a Member of Congress representing California’s 9th congressional district and co-chair of the Congressional Artificial Intelligence Caucus. Congressman McNerney, who holds the distinction as the only member of Congress with a PhD degree, is a member of two congressional committees that impact the technology, science, and analytics policy space – the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Science, Space and Technology Committee.

Tags: advocacy, AI, artificial intelligence, congress, Congressional Artificial Intelligence Caucus, Congressman Jerry McNerney, government

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Approaching COVID-19 reopening as an O.R. problem

As the country begins to reopen, we are seeing restrictions put in place to counteract the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic begin to loosen. I think many of us are battling conflicting emotions: excitement at the idea of a return to something closer to normal as well as uncertainty and anxiety, with each state reopening at a different rates and even inconsistencies in requirements regarding the use of face masks. And with some states seeing new spikes in infection rates, it begs the question, in a desire to return to normal are we moving too quickly, or perhaps simply going…

Tags: coronavirus, COVID-19, operations research, pandemic, reopening, University of Texas, Victoria Chen

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Keeping bias out of job applications and school admissions

In today’s world, we are becoming increasingly aware of the prevalence of bias and the significance of its impact, particularly regarding minority groups and at risk and vulnerable members of our community. In an episode of the podcast released last month, we discussed the presence of bias in rideshares, in particular a study which identified that minorities and supporters of the LGBTQ community are twice as likely to have their rides canceled as Caucasians. In this episode, we will continue to explore additional examples of bias and their impact, as well as the role that operations research and analytics plays…

Tags: bias, fairness, Georgia Tech, job applications, metrics, school admissions, Swati Gupta

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Take me out to the (computer) ball game!

Even as we are beginning to see a lessening of restrictions in regard to the COVID-19 pandemic, I think many of us are still processing the myriad ways it has impacted our lives this year. As spring comes to an end and summer is upon us, we are keenly feeling the absence of many of our favorite activities, like concerts, barbeques, parades, and for the purposes of this episode, an afternoon spent with a hotdog and a beer at a baseball game. For those of you who may be feeling these losses particularly keenly, we wanted to share a fun…

Tags: baseball hall of fame, Gary Cokins, sports analytics

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Will your ride be cancelled? Fighting bias in rideshares

I think many of our listeners will agree, that while the timeline to safely do so remains uncertain, we are all looking forward to a day when we can once again spend time with friends on a night out, head to a movie theater or a favorite museum, or frankly, do anything outside the house. When the time comes, people will once again rely on rideshare platforms like Uber or Lyft to get them where they need to go, much as they did prior to the coronavirus pandemic. What they may not know, is the role that bias based on…

Tags: American University, Chris Parker, Indiana University, Jorge Mejia, Management Science, rideshare bias

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Preparing for a second wave of COVID-19

It seems surreal to think that at the start of this year, few of us were aware of the threat of a novel new virus gaining momentum overseas. Now, only a few months later, the coronavirus or COVID-19, is a global pandemic, the effects of which have impacted nearly every aspect of our day-to-day lives. As the number of cases in the U.S. continued to grow, states enacted restrictions to enforce social distancing efforts, with stay at home orders, business closures, and for businesses deemed essential, establishing guidelines to ensure customer and employee safety. At the heart of this was…

Tags: coronavirus, COVID-19, flatten the curve, infection rates, Julie Swann, North Carolina State University, social distancing

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The dangers of overcrowding: Helping ICUs preserve essential bed space

As the coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic continues, supply shortages are something we are all facing, none with a more critical impact than those involving hospitals and healthcare workers. We’ve heard of the shortages of personal protective equipment or PPE, like face masks and gloves, and the lack of an adequate number of ventilators for the most seriously ill patients. But as the number of cities and communities impacted by the virus continues to grow, what do hospitals do when there are more patients in their ICUs than beds to hold them along with the accompanying monitoring and life-saving equipment? To…

Tags: Frances Sneddon, ICU, SIMUL8, simulation modeling software

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The path to success for women in IT

We’d like to think that our performance at work, regardless of our sex, is the primary deciding factor in deciding whether or not we are recognized for our work with a promotion. You do a good job, you earn recognition, right? Unfortunately, according to new research in the INFORMS journal Information Systems Research in certain fields, this might not actually be the case. For this episode, I am joined by Nishtha Langer, professor with the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to discuss her study “Onwards and Upwards? An Empirical Investigation of Gender and Promotions in IT Services.”

Tags: equal pay, equal rights, equality, IT, Nishtha Langer bias, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, women

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