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PODCAST

The IDEMS Podcast

IDEMS International

Stories from a social enterprise that uses mathematical sciences in impact-oriented work around the world. Our experiences range from helping some of the world"s poorest farmers get value from data, to enabling academics to use AI responsibly in their teaching. We never know what our next task will be but the last 6 years have shown that it is likely to lead to a story.

science mathematics

All Episodes

22:23

067 – Multilevel Data

The IDEMS Podcast ·

2024/07/02

Lily and David discuss the importance of working with multi-level data. The conversation highlights the need for integrating the concept of multi-level data into data literacy education, from basic to advanced levels, to help people better analyze and interpret complex data sets. They also touch on the practical implications of ignoring multi-level data, such as in the 2020 UK examination algorithm controversy, and consider the relevance to AI.

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26:10

065 – Hallucitations

The IDEMS Podcast ·

2024/06/25

Can AI-generated information be trusted? In this episode, Lily and David dive into the issue of AI-generated “hallucitations”, where generative AI models like ChatGPT provide ostensible citations referring to sources that do not exist. They discuss the implications of such misinformation, including defamation cases. They emphasize the importance of responsible AI systems and the challenges of funding and prioritizing research to ensure accuracy and reliability in AI outputs.

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27:49

064 – Defining Simplicity: When Money Isn’t Enough

The IDEMS Podcast ·

2024/06/21

In episode “061 – Simplicity versus Complexity”, David claimed that if a problem is solvable by throwing money at it then it is not inherently complex or “wicked”. In this episode, Santiago challenges this claim via the thought experiment from another episode, “031 – Who Wants to be a Trillionaire”. This prompts a discussion that spans topics including the sustainable development goals, the unintended consequences of market fluctuations, how progress can exacerbate inequalities, and the intricate

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33:28

063 – Chris Sangwin: STACK

The IDEMS Podcast ·

2024/06/18

David talks to Chris Sangwin, creator of STACK, the online assessment system designed to support the teaching of university level mathematics. They review what makes STACK so useful and how they are collaborating on a Knowledge Transfer Partnership program. STACK presents huge opportunities to improve mathematical education at scale and Chris and David discuss how a separate, human system of question authoring experts are needed to support this.

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28:37

061 – Simplicity vs Complexity

The IDEMS Podcast ·

2024/06/11

IDEMS works on complex, real world problems, but what does complexity mean? Lucie and David discuss the concepts of simplicity and complexity, with David suggesting that mathematics can be seen as a realm of simplicity compared to the complex real world. They touch on the dangers of oversimplifying problems and highlight how modern research tends to overvalue simplicity.

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29:48

060 – Teaching Data Science

The IDEMS Podcast ·

2024/06/07

In this episode, Lily and David consider foundational data skills in data science education. They discuss Lily's recent teaching experience at the doctoral training school in Kigali, Rwanda, as part of the AIMS initiative. The conversation explores the significance of teaching basic yet essential data handling and analysis skills to data science students, emphasising how these foundational abilities are often overlooked in conventional education but are critical in the real-world application of data

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32:28

059 – Inception Meetings: IDEMS’ Pathways to...

The IDEMS Podcast ·

2024/06/04

How do you get a project off to a good start? In IDEMS’ Research Methods Support work for the Global Collaboration for Resilient Food Systems (CRFS) in West Africa, we facilitate Inception Meetings to support projects make the right decisions. David and Lucie reflect on 9 CRFS projects’ joint Inception Meetings held in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.

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36:35

058 – Farmer Research Networks

The IDEMS Podcast ·

2024/05/31

We’re used to participatory research with farmers, but what does scalable participatory farmer-focused research look like? Lucie and David discuss this principled approach to agroecological research, which has the potential to not only create great benefits for researchers and farmers alike, but to also shake up research systems and power dynamics between researchers and the community.

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28:03

057 – Empowering Mathematics Educators with STACK

The IDEMS Podcast ·

2024/05/28

Santiago Borio and David Stern discuss STACK, an open-source online assessment tool for mathematics and STEM subjects. They explore how STACK can provide scalable and effective feedback across diverse educational settings, emphasizing its success in universities with large class sizes and limited resources, particularly in Kenya and other similar environments. David highlights the growth of the STACK community and reflects on the value of community in open source educational initiatives. He

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22:31

050 – The Role of Observation in Shaping IDEMS

The IDEMS Podcast ·

2024/05/03

In this 50th episode of the IDEMS podcast, co-founders David Stern and Danny Parsons celebrate the milestone by reflecting on the crucial role of observation in their professional journeys and its impact on IDEMS' development. They discuss the transition from observers to leaders, emphasizing the importance of taking a step back to gain a deeper understanding and insight, which has enabled thoughtful action and leadership within the organization. They also recognise the importance of allowing their

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32:50

049 – Artificial Words: The Unseen Bias of AI in...

The IDEMS Podcast ·

2024/04/30

This episode delves into the nuances of language discrimination, specifically focusing on the impact of language models like ChatGPT on linguistic perceptions and the inadvertent biases they might reinforce. Hosts Lily Clements and David Stern discuss a controversy that arose in Nigeria over the use of the word "delve," which some attributed to AI-generated content, highlighting broader issues of language discrimination and the unintended consequences of AI tools in communication.

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26:57

048 – An Approach to Language and Tolerance

The IDEMS Podcast ·

2024/04/26

In this episode, Santiago Borio and David Stern delve into the use of language and its implications in today’s sensitive cultural landscape. Motivated by a prior discussion that mentioned 'white' and 'black' economies, and recognising the potential associations of this terminology, they explore how such terms have evolved and consider potential alternatives. They highlight the importance of tolerance and resilience as well as the necessity of careful use of language to avoid misinterpretation. The

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18:35

047 – Kate Fleming: IDEMS’ Strategy

The IDEMS Podcast ·

2024/04/23

David and Kate, two of the three IDEMS directors, explore how to productively think about IDEMS’ multiple work streams as an overarching strategy. In doing so, they reflect on IDEMS’ role, and by extension technology’s role, in promoting “human flourishing”, as an enabler of human activities and interests.

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21:14

045 – Bruce Hamaker: Processing Nutritional Foods in...

The IDEMS Podcast ·

2024/04/16

In this episode, David Stern talks to Bruce Hamaker, Distinguished Professor of Food Science at Purdue University. They discuss his projects in West and East Africa, making nutritious foods for local markets using local ingredients, and IDEMS’ role, through the McKnight Foundation, of providing research method support. They consider the transition of focus from urban to rural areas, the move to working with women’s associations and the viral scaling that this enabled.

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27:03

042 – Navigating the Future: Work and Skills in an...

The IDEMS Podcast ·

2024/04/05

In this episode, Dr Lily Clements and David Stern discuss the evolving landscape of skills for a world shaped by AI. They delve into the transformation of different job roles and the education system, proposing a future where critique, creativity, and human connection become increasingly important. This conversation highlights the supportive role of AI – aiming to enhance rather than replace human capabilities – and the vibrant future of jobs centred around adding value to our lives and

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22:31

041 – Scalable Impact Through Internships

The IDEMS Podcast ·

2024/04/02

IDEMS has big ambitions, including to become redundant in our Research Methods Support (RMS) work for the Global Collaboration for Resilient Food Systems. David and Lucie discuss the ongoing RMS internship program in West Africa and how, through the program, we can expand and increase our impact in the region.

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35:01

040 – The STACK Internships

The IDEMS Podcast ·

2024/03/29

In this episode, Santiago Borio and David Stern explore the journey of transforming maths education in Africa through STACK internships. They discuss how former team members, now PhD students, and local talents leveraged STACK, an open-source tool, to innovate teaching methods. They highlight the initial challenges of training interns virtually, the pivotal role of face-to-face interaction, and the interns' substantial contributions to the STACK community, particularly at the first African STACK

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32:23

039 – How to Lie with Smoking Statistics

The IDEMS Podcast ·

2024/03/26

This episode features a conversation between Dr Lily Clements and David Stern on the influence of misinformation, initially focussing on the tobacco industry's attempts to distort statistics related to smoking and health. They discuss the historical context of smoking promotion, the transition to recognising its health risks, and the broader implications for responsible AI and the fight against pseudoscience.

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26:21

038 – What Does Development Look Like?

The IDEMS Podcast ·

2024/03/22

A simple question, but not such an easy answer. Starting from their observations of street vendors and students in Burkina Faso and Niger, David and Lucie discuss what development could look like in this context. How does development in Niger, for example, compare to the developments needed in the UK?

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33:28

037 – Generating AI Images: Between Bias and Absurdity

The IDEMS Podcast ·

2024/03/19

In this follow-up to episode 035, Lily and David consider a recent development in the realm of AI image generation: Google’s Gemini model recently came under criticism for generating historically inaccurate images, seemingly as a result of overcorrecting for racial biases. They discuss topics including: how making mistakes can show that Google might be ahead of the competition; new AI regulations from the EU; Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI; and the infamous Glasgow Willy Wonka experience.Read

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102 results

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