DATA SCIENCE INITIATIVE

Speaker:

David Lazer, Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Computer Sciences, Northeastern University

Title:

The Emergent Structure of the Online Information Ecosystem

Abstract: 

This presentation examines the emergent and sometimes paradoxical logic of the internet news ecosystem, in particular: (1) collectively, news diets have become far more concentrated in a small number of outlets; (2)  however, individuals have relatively diverse news diets-- almost certainly far more diverse than was plausible pre-Internet (as measured by number of unique content producers); (3) the social-algorithmic curation system of the Internet tends to point people to content with their preferences, sometimes in unlikely places. The greater diversity of consumption of news measured by number of unique outlets may not actually result in diversity of content.

Speaker Bio:

David Lazer is University Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Computer Sciences at Northeastern University. He has published widely on topics in computational social science, democratic deliberation, collective intelligence, and misinformation. He is cofounder and coleader of the Civic Health and Institutions Project (CHIP50), an ongoing 50 state survey evaluating the state of US democracy, and lead PI of the National Internet Observatory, a large ($16m) NSF supported data collection/sharing infrastructure designed to support the research on the platforms of the internet.

Location:

In person: Chambers Hall, 600 Foster Street, Lower Level
Remote option: https://northwestern.zoom.us/j/93154752168
Passcode: NICO25

About the Speaker Series:

Wednesdays@NICO is a vibrant weekly seminar series focusing broadly on the topics of complex systems, data science and network science. It brings together attendees ranging from graduate students to senior faculty who span all of the schools across Northwestern, from applied math to sociology to biology and every discipline in-between. Please visit: https://bit.ly/WedatNICO for information on future speakers.

APRIL MEETING: Thursday, April 24, 2025 at 5:30pm (US Central)

Please join us for a special event at NICO. We are seeking participation in Data Science Nights including as members, field representatives, and organizers. Time commitment varies by position from minimal to slightly more. This is a great opportunity to meet like-minded students & researchers on campus and learn about complex systems, computational techniques, data science, and more! Food and beverages will be provided!

Following dinner we will have a talk from Jithin George, PhD, on: "What complex analysis can tell us about Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy"

Please RSVP for this event

LOCATION: 
In person: Chambers Hall, Lower Level
600 Foster Steet, Evanston Campus

AGENDA:
5:30pm - Dinner and Information Session
6:00pm - Talk by Jithin George, Postdoctoral Fellow at Northwestern-Argonne Institute of Engineering "What complex analysis can tell us about Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy"
6:45pm - Q&A

DATA SCIENCE NIGHTS are monthly talks on data science techniques or applications, organized by Northwestern University graduate students and scholars. Aspiring, beginning, and advanced data scientists are welcome! For more information: http://bit.ly/nico-dsn

Speaker:

Nicole Woitowich, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Executive Director, NUCATS

Title:

Exploring the Science of Biomedical Science from Discovery to Impact 

Abstract: 

This presentation explores the biomedical research enterprise from a science of science perspective, focusing on the relationships between research practices, the people who shape them, the policies that govern them, and the public they ultimately aim to serve. A central thread of this work examines the intersection of sex and gender inclusion in research, the advancement of women in science and medicine - and how they may be inextricably related. This talk will explore how sex and gender are included, analyzed, and reported in biomedical research, and how gender disparities within the scientific workforce influences the types of questions asked and how data are reported and analyzed. Together, these dynamics have significant implications for the rigor and reproducibility of research, as well as for health outcomes more broadly. The talk will also reflect on how this science of science perspective can inform ongoing work at Northwestern’s Clinical and Translational Sciences (NUCATS) Institute which aims to improve, innovate, and implement generalizable solutions that enhance the efficiency, quality, and impact of clinical and translational science. The session will conclude with an overview of NUCATS’ initiatives and resources aligned with these goals.

Speaker Bio:

Nicole (Niki) Woitowich, PhD, is the Executive Director of the Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences (NUCATS) Institute and a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Social Sciences at the Feinberg School of Medicine. Her work focuses on advancing women's health and the representation of women in science and medicine, aiming to transform the biomedical research landscape through her research, advocacy, and outreach.

Trained as a biochemist, Dr. Woitowich earned her PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. She has specialized knowledge in neuroendocrinology, reproductive physiology, and enzymology. Her current research investigates the intersections of sex and gender in biomedicine, from research policy to practice, emphasizing the importance of considering sex as a biological variable and the inclusion of women in the biomedical research workforce.

Dr. Woitowich holds a longstanding interest in science policy. In 2016, she was awarded the Presidential Management Fellowship. She continues to advocate for women's health research and played a key role in establishing January 25th as Women’s Health Research Day.

Committed to making science accessible, Dr. Woitowich collaborates with researchers nationwide to enhance their communication and public engagement skills. She holds leadership positions within the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the non-profit organization Women’s Health Access Matters (WHAM).

Location:

In person: Chambers Hall, 600 Foster Street, Lower Level
Remote option: https://northwestern.zoom.us/j/95817534965
Passcode: NICO25

About the Speaker Series:

Wednesdays@NICO is a vibrant weekly seminar series focusing broadly on the topics of complex systems, data science and network science. It brings together attendees ranging from graduate students to senior faculty who span all of the schools across Northwestern, from applied math to sociology to biology and every discipline in-between. Please visit: https://bit.ly/WedatNICO for information on future speakers.

Speaker:

Diego Gómez-Zará, Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Notre Dame

Title:

All-Female and Female-Led Teams Drive More Breakthrough Ideas in Science and Innovation

Abstract: 

The increase of female researchers in science over the past decades has initiated many studies on the gender composition of teams and their research outcomes. Substantial evidence underscores the value of including female researchers in science. Yet, their impact on driving new research directions and technological innovation within teams remains underexplored. In this presentation, we analyze over 65 million papers and two million patents spanning 1950-2010. We document the rise in all-female teams and demonstrate that all-female teams consistently produce the highest proportion of disruptive papers. We explore this trend across time periods, team sizes, and fields. We find that despite the overall decline in disruption, notably, all-female teams have the smallest decline in disruption. We analyze publication text, field-specific structural differences, author careers, leadership dynamics, and team dynamics to understand the vital role that all-female teams play in driving breakthroughs.

Speaker Bio:

Diego Gómez-Zará is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Notre Dame. His research focuses on how social computational systems help people organize and collaborate. His work has been at the forefront of computational social science, human-computer interaction, and network science. Before joining Notre Dame, he was a postdoctoral fellow at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management and received his Ph.D. in Technology and Social Behavior at Northwestern University. His recent publications include work in recommender systems, team formation, diversity, and virtual reality. This research has won best paper awards at top conferences in human-computer interaction, including CHI, CSCW, and IUI. His research has been supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, DARPA, National Science Foundation, Microsoft Research, IBM, Amazon Research, and Slack Inc.

Location:

NOTE: LOCATION CHANGE THIS WEEK
In person: Kellogg Global Hub, 2211 Campus Drive, KGH2410
Remote option: https://northwestern.zoom.us/j/97630539917
Passcode: NICO25

About the Speaker Series:

Wednesdays@NICO is a vibrant weekly seminar series focusing broadly on the topics of complex systems, data science and network science. It brings together attendees ranging from graduate students to senior faculty who span all of the schools across Northwestern, from applied math to sociology to biology and every discipline in-between. Please visit: https://bit.ly/WedatNICO for information on future speakers.

Sign Up:

Sign up to present at our spring Lightning Talk session. NICO Lightning Talks are open to graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and visiting scholars.

Location:

In person: Chambers Hall, 600 Foster Street, Lower Level
Remote option: https://northwestern.zoom.us/j/95387714084
Passcode: NICO24

About the Speaker Series:

Wednesdays@NICO is a vibrant weekly seminar series focusing broadly on the topics of complex systems, data science and network science. It brings together attendees ranging from graduate students to senior faculty who span all of the schools across Northwestern, from applied math to sociology to biology and every discipline in-between. Please visit: https://bit.ly/WedatNICO for information on future speakers.

Speaker:

Rosemary Braun,  Associate Professor, Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University

Title:

TBA

Abstract: 

TBA

Speaker Bio:

Rosemary Braun is an Associate Professor of Molecular Biosciences, Applied Math, and Physics at Northwestern University. Driven by a desire to understand how living systems self organize across scales, she conducts research at the interface between mathematics and biology.  Her computational laboratory develops novel machine-learning methods for the statistical analysis of high-dimensional data; graph-theoretic approaches to describe the behavior of interaction networks; and dynamical simulations to model how cellular processes are coordinated in time. She collaborates extensively to apply these methods to diverse biological processes, including development, sleep, and cancer.  A physicist by training, Rosemary obtained her BSc in Physics from SUNY Stony Brook and Ph.D. in Physics from from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2004.  Following her PhD, she obtained an MPH in Biostatistics from Johns Hopkins University and was a Cancer Prevention Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Cancer Institute (NIH).

Location:

In person: Chambers Hall, 600 Foster Street, Lower Level
Remote option: https://northwestern.zoom.us/j/97015976754
Passcode: NICO25

About the Speaker Series:

Wednesdays@NICO is a vibrant weekly seminar series focusing broadly on the topics of complex systems, data science and network science. It brings together attendees ranging from graduate students to senior faculty who span all of the schools across Northwestern, from applied math to sociology to biology and every discipline in-between. Please visit: https://bit.ly/WedatNICO for information on future speakers.