IUSSP Webinar - Demography and the Data Revolution: lessons learned and the way forward
IUSSP Webinar - Demography and the Data Revolution: lessons learned and the way forward
This webinar brought together population scientists and those engaged in the data revolution to discuss demographers' and population scientists' contributions. The round table was moderated by Ruth Levine (Executive Director, IDinsight). Deeply committed to evidence-informed decision making, she was the program director at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation when the grant was made. In her opening remarks, she provided insights into the rationale behind the project, highlighting the specific strengths demographers bring to population data analysis. A key theme of this webinar was how demographers should engage with the emerging field of data science.
From left to right and from top to bottom: Tom Moultrie, Ruth Levine, Emma Samman, Sam Clark, Louise Shaxson, Claire Melamed, Vissého Adjiwanou and Emmanuel Letouzé.
Emma Samman (Overseas Development Institute - ODI) began with a summary of IUSSP work under the ‘Demography and the data revolution’ project and ODI’s assessment of the Union’s overall contribution to advancing this work.
Sam Clark, Associate Professor at Ohio State University, followed with a frank evaluation of what needs to be done to attract young scholars interested in data science to the field of demography.
Claire Melamed, Chief Executive Officer at Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, discussed the ways IUSSP could help strengthen relationships between demography, data science and the work of National Statistical Offices.
Tom Moultrie, Professor of Demography at the University of Capetown, spoke about data science and the marginalization of data scientists from the Global South, and how IUSSP might address this concern.
Vissého Adjiwanou, Associate Professor at the Université du Québec à Montréal, reflected on training demographers in Sub Saharan Africa in innovative data science methods and how the Union could further advance these training activities to help digital demography gain legitimacy.
Emmanuel Letouzé, Director and co-Founder of Data-Pop Alliance, spoke on innovative approaches to engaging in topics relating to digital demography, and on the training and other engagements with diverse stakeholders around the production and use of ‘new’ data.
The presentations were followed by a lively and often provocative discussion moderated by Louise Shaxson (ODI) about data science, demographic training and data ecosystems. Tom LeGrand, IUSSP President, gave the closing remarks.
