IDSS News April 2020

I hope that this message finds you and your families healthy and safe. When we measure the impact of COVID-19 on our community, I'm reminded that some things are impossible to quantify. We are all affected by this crisis, and taking care of each other through it is our first priority. I’m sure you’ve heard plenty of people say it by now: we are in uncertain times. This energizes the IDSS community to bring crucial skills to bear. Probability and statistics are, after all, tools for measuring uncertainty, and we have expertise in using scientific information to impact policy making. Consistent with our mission at IDSS — to address societal challenges — we plan to combine these skills, along with our focus on the ethical and social implications of policy, to help policy makers confront this crisis. In that spirit we have launched Isolat, a volunteer collaboration within IDSS to provide analysis of data associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in order to inform policy makers. Our group meets daily to discuss findings from various interconnected research projects, and has already built a ‘data lake’ that allows researchers access to many relevant, up-to-date datasets. We post our findings regularly to invite participation and feedback from the larger community. To collaborate with us, email idss-isolat@mit.edu. I am heartened to see the ways our community has rallied together to overcome our physical distance. With virtual town halls and social events, we are striving to stay connected. We’ve quickly transitioned seminars and even faculty searches online. We’ve implemented weekly coaching to help our students adapt to remote learning. Until we can gather in person again, please take care of yourselves and each other, explore new ways to connect, and don’t hesitate to reach out. We are all in this together, and I wish you all my best. Munther Dahleh, Director William A. Coolidge Professor, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

ISOLAT

The IDSS COVID-19 Collaboration (Isolat) is a volunteer effort that brings together the broader IDSS community to provide analysis of data associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in order to inform policy makers. The Isolat group meets daily to discuss findings. Contact   idss-isolat@mit.edu for more information.

Virtual Data Lake Isolat has gathered numerous data sets into a ‘virtual data lake’ that allows researchers to access a large number of up-to-date data sources simultaneously.

Are We Flattening the Curve? Isolat researchers developed a simple model to test which states in the US still see an exponential rate of growth, and which ones see a decline.

Inching Back to Normal Using a network model, collaborators explore tradeoffs between transmission rates and herd immunity.

Are Coronavirus Case Counts Useful? Researchers explore the potential usefulness of available coronavirus data in the absence of widespread testing.

The Impact of Closing Restaurants Isolat collaborators demonstrate the utility of physical distancing with a graph showing the rate at which the disease spread after each state's restaurant-related interventions.

COVID PERSPECTIVES

How to restart the economy with a post-pandemic workforce IDSS and Media Lab professor Sandy Pentland outlines how testing and technology can help identify a “safe” workforce in a new white paper.

Solving the health-care equipment supply shortage Just-in-time principles have impeded hospitals' coronavirus response, and it will take government action to fix the problem, writes Yossi Sheffi.

The Covid-19 pandemic’s impact on the 2020 elections Charles Stewart, head of the MIT Election Data and Science Lab, discusses voting by mail and the impact of Covid-19 on the upcoming election.

Supply chain outlook: The timing of the slowdown IDSS professor David Simchi-Levi's tracking of supply chain problems provides insight into what's happening in the global economy.

How journalists can avoid spreading coronavirus misinformation IDSS affiliate and MIT Sloan professor David Rand applies his framework for studying political misinformation to the coronavirus pandemic.

Our internet isn’t ready for coronavirus Many people are working and learning from home. Residential broadband networks might not be able to keep up, says TPP alum Josephine Wolff.

Industry Perspective: John Deere John Deere, a member of our industry alliance, is producing face shields for health-care workers and delivering food and hygiene supplies to communities in India.

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: ISOLATING TOGETHER

A chat with MechE professor and IDSS affiliate Anette “Peko” Hosoi, associate dean for engineering in MIT’s School of Engineering, about staying connected and innovating to solve problems. Watch on YouTube.

EDUCATION

Turn your big data into even bigger results in this 7-week online course. Starts May 4. Data Science and Big Data Analytics course Master the skills needed to solve complex challenges with data. Data Analysis starts June 2nd. MicroMasters Program in Statistics and Data Science

MITx MicroMasters Completion Celebration

There are now 190 credential holders of our MicroMasters Program in Statistics and Data Science. There will be a live-stream celebration in June to congratulate them, hear their stories, and share remarks from IDSS leaders and MIT faculty. Hear from some learners about the program and their experiences:

EVENTS

WiDS Cambridge March 6, 2020 WiDS Cambridge , co-hosted by IDSS, recognized and empowered women in STEM. This year's signature event was a panel discussion on data science and fake news. LIDS@80 November 1-2, 2019 Watch: the LIDS@80 celebration featured a variety of discussions about the past, present, and future of the 80-year-old Laboratory for Information & Decision Systems.

MIT Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS) idss.mit.edu ‌ ‌ ‌

Give to IDSS

Partner with IDSS