Social network bots: Annoying spam or harmful influencers?

While we all may be aware, particularly after the recent U.S. elections, of the presence of false or automated accounts on social networking sites, their true impact is still unfolding. These accounts, also known as bots, spread misinformation which at best can pollute our feeds with false or misleading information, and at worst can significantly impact our opinions and influence world events and narratives. And despite the significant efforts of social networks to detect and address their bot problems, they still remain a serious issue. Joining me to share his thought-provoking research and provide insight on the impact of bots…

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How much do your peers’ diets impact your weight loss? More than you think!

After months of living, working, teaching, learning, and perhaps most importantly for the purposes of this podcast, eating from home, many of us might admit we’ve seen what has become known as the “Quarantine 15” sneak up on us, to some extent. As the summer and “bikini season” stretch on, for those who may be looking to shed a couple of pounds, you are not alone. Each year in the U.S., the weight loss industry generates more than $20 billion from 100 million dieters, with countless options available relating to diet and exercise.    In fact, we are inundated with…

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November 2018 Part 1

This month, we will be producing two special podcasts, both recorded during the INFORMS 2018 Annual Meeting. We will be speaking to a number of INFORMS member who are presenting during the meeting on topics that highlight the ways O.R. and analytics are being used to save lives, save money and solve problems. In this episode, we will be discussing how O.R. and analytics are providing valuable insight into some of the most complex problems facing our world today, from calculating the number of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. with former INFORMS president, Member in Chief and Yale University professor…

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