"Every decision that we make, whether we're thinking about climate change, poverty, you know happiness, agriculture... how do we feed everyone, how do we clothe them, all of that is underpinned by data and mathematics.Av Dr Linda McIver, Australian Data Science Education Institute

"The rise of populism has been substantial across the advanced world, indeed across developing countries as well. So those of us who believe in data need to be strong proponents of the publication of those data even when it produces results that make us uncomfortable.Av Dr Linda McIver, Australian Data Science Education Institute

"We do not teach people that making mistakes is not just right, but it's the only way of learning. It's the only way of becoming better."Honestly, I want to turn this whole episode into pull quotes! Go listen!Av Dr Linda McIver, Australian Data Science Education Institute

"So like while we would never believe that if we saw a stone rolling down a mountain, that if we all just stared at it and willed it back up the hill, it would do that, we do tend to believe that if we all individually do our part for the environment or ask people to just individually act that because people want that to be so and want that to work…

Fiona Tweedie: data governance is not a topic that gets a lot of love. people yeah switch off when they hear it, but it really is the makes a huge amount of difference to what you're able to do with data (and not just avoiding big regulator fines)Av Dr Linda McIver, Australian Data Science Education Institute

Mark Gray on technology. "people have developed a kind of implicit trust in the way that technology works. And I think partly it's because they don't actually understand how it works. And so, they just choose to trust it. I mean, I've got a lot of experience in programming. ...I would not trust a computer-driven car to not hurt me."…

"Behind every business problem is a human being with some kind of need. And if we understand that, we can solve it and increasingly now every business is a data driven business, but you can't let data be the only thing you need to, we need to focus in on the human problems we're trying to solve. And that's probably one of the things that is making …

A truly thought provoking conversation about data and accessibility with an amazing Software Engineer and Accessibility Expert & Advocate, Larene Le Gassick. "The most popular statistic that is shared about disability is that, you know, if you don't consider accessibility in the web or in mobile apps, you are excluding at least 20% of folks who mig…

"I've gone from just not reading the media release, to not even caring what their numbers are and actually finding my own numbers. Which is always a fun thing, because you find things that you haven't looked at in the past and think 'oh, this is something new and cool.'"Av Dr Linda McIver, Australian Data Science Education Institute

RD:"Why aren't we collecting the data? Because they don't want to admit failure. They don't want to make it easy for me to tell you what the cost to GDP of this heroic approach to covid has been."Av Dr Linda McIver, Australian Data Science Education Institute

"I remember my first day at university, I was one of those overly friendly people who introduced myself to everyone in a lecture theatre of a thousand and never saw those people again. I remember sitting there in that first term, one of the lecturers did say 'just be aware. we are another species, we're an animal, but the data would suggest that we…

Antony Green is well known as the ABC's Election Data Specialist, and he generously shared his time and expertise in a wide ranging conversation about the statistics of elections, how stats are misused, and what he wishes everyone knew about data. Turns out there's a vast amount of preparation that goes into those fascinating election night broadca…

Michael Franklin is a Software Engineer at the Centre for Population Genomics, and a former student of mine. This was a really interesting chat that roamed all over the place! Have a listen.Av Dr Linda McIver, Australian Data Science Education Institute

This is an infuriating interview with Polly Hemming, Senior Researcher at The Australia Institute. Polly is amazing, but the interview is infuriating because of the outright deceit practiced in the field of Climate Data and Carbon Credits. I kept wanting to stop the interview to scream and throw things. An enlightening, fascinating, and enraging co…

"Particularly in the Indigenous context, We're really keen to unpack this notion of research objectivity or independence. To make the point that the person who's doing the evaluation/data analysis really brings their own social and cultural baggage to that question. So on that basis we're trying to make the case that it's important for Indigenous p…

This is a great chat about critical thinking and the importance of scepticism in Data Science, and the importance of data and scientific literacy around the world. Check it out!Av Dr Linda McIver, Australian Data Science Education Institute

An amazing conversation with Neuroscientist Associate Professor Nic Price from Monash University, who has a lot to say about the way we teach science, how we can understand the brain, and how we need to get comfortable with uncertainty. Check it out!Av Dr Linda McIver, Australian Data Science Education Institute

An amazing chat that ranged over the power of data storytelling, the impact of scientific fraud, and how to stay positive in the face of environmental catastrophe, Professor Euan Ritchie is a remarkable science communicator, an Ecologist, and a seriously lovely human being."Data is power and knowledge, and if we have good data it gives us opportuni…

"The first thing I think [about graphs] is: what story am I supposed to believe when I see this? What are they trying to make me think? And then immediately, once you understand 'oh they want me to think that it's really big, or it's going down really quick, this pattern is abnormal…' then I immediately think 'what other stories also fit that data?…

"So economics calls itself the science of the efficient allocation of resources. It tells itself that we help answer the question of what to produce, when to produce, and for whom to produce… but there's nothing in economics that says we shouldn't collect more tax and have a health system that's as good as the Nordic countries. There's nothing in e…

"It's actually interesting to observe the things people are trying to do with data as a way of assessing our civilisational maturity."Av Dr Linda McIver, Australian Data Science Education Institute

"The pandemic has shown us that we can act quickly and dramatically for other people, with a positive outcome. We saw a problem, we thought 'oh no, we have to do something about this problem, let's change the way we behave'… that's what we need for climate change."Av Dr Linda McIver, Australian Data Science Education Institute

It's this really tense balance between the side that treats data as if it's almost reality itself, it's so accurate and precise, and empirical, that it's almost like you're holding the real world in your hand… on the other hand you have the overly sceptical side which is basically someone who has been burnt in the past, like they looked at the back…

Mel is a data advocate, designer, storyteller, maker and founder of Nook Studios. This episode is a fascinating look at the case for Open Data, Government Transparency, and accessible Data Story Telling. “I think there’s a lot of work to be done and there’s a lot more impetus now, because the public have that awareness… Continue reading Mel Flanaga…

“I love that the thing that I work on is actually so consequential to better decision making, to solving real world problems. To understanding and evaluating forces in our world. I just love that I’m part of a way of making a difference that has applications in so many settings.” “How do we start to… Continue reading Ellen Broad talks Cybernetics, …

A fascinating conversation with Government Statistician Dr Owen Churches. How government data collection can shape policy and change our understanding of the world."It's worth spending time thinking about the problems, and struggling with them a little bit. The closer you get to the data, the less clear things should be."…

Alan Duffy talks Data Literacy and Astronomy. "We are so keen to get into problem solving mode and we don't spend enough considered time checking and cleaning the data, because that's not as much fun as training a machine learning algorithm and seeing what it comes out with. "Av Dr Linda McIver, Australian Data Science Education Institute

An amazing conversation with Juliette O'Brien, founder and maintainer of covid19data.com.au - one of the most important sources of Australian Covid19 data and graphs since the very beginning of the pandemic.Av Dr Linda McIver, Australian Data Science Education Institute

Make Me Data Literate kicks off with an interview with Professor Adrian Esterman, Epidemiologist and Biostatistician. One of the big problems with experts, whether economic experts or any other sort of science expert, is that they have a lot of trouble bringing their conversation down to the level of the general public. It's not their fault, it's w…

As an English student, you have to know how to read, digest, and comprehend the books you are assigned. This is my digestion of The Penelopiad. Enjoy!