Monthly Archives: April 2019
It’s Time to Study Machines the Way We Study Humans
Written on April 26, 2019 at 4:12 pm, by Hanyu Chwe
Republished from News@Northeastern by Molly Callahan Artificial intelligence and machine learning models can be found in almost every aspect of modern life. News-ranking algorithms determine which information we see online, compatibility algorithms influence the people we date, and ride-hailing algorithms affect the way we travel. Despite the pervasiveness of these life-changing algorithms, we don’t have Continue Reading »
NULab Professor John Wihbey’s The Social Fact: News and Knowledge in a Networked World
Written on April 17, 2019 at 1:50 am, by Hanyu Chwe
NULab Professor John Whibey’s new book came out April 16, from MIT Press: “While the public believes that journalism remains crucial for democracy, there is a general sense that the news media are performing this role poorly. In The Social Fact, John Wihbey makes the case that journalism can better serve democracy by focusing on ways Continue Reading »
Novels in the News: The Reprinting of Fiction in Nineteenth-Century Newspapers
Written on April 11, 2019 at 5:08 pm, by Colleen Nugent
“Novels in the News: The Reprinting of Fiction in Nineteenth-Century Newspapers” investigates the republication history of novels and short fiction within the hybrid medium of the nineteenth century newspaper. This project seeks to understand not simply which novels and stories were reprinted in newspapers, but which parts of these texts circulated most widely (and which Continue Reading »
2019 “Climate Change/Crisis/Creativity” Conference
Written on April 3, 2019 at 2:04 pm, by Colleen Nugent
When it comes to conveying the realities of climate change, adding more information may not always help—this was the takeaway message from scholars and artists at the NULab’s recent “Climate Change/Crisis/Creativity” conference. The conference was a collaborative event co-hosted with the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, the Humanities Center, the Department of English, Continue Reading »
NULab Professor Christo Wilson Wins Excellence in Research and Creative Activity Award
Written on April 1, 2019 at 5:29 pm, by Hanyu Chwe
Republished from News@Northeastern by Khalida Sarwari Northeastern computer science professor Christo Wilson wants to make people aware of how algorithms work, while getting the companies that use them to be more open about and accountable for how they work. Among Wilson’s findings was a glitch in its algorithm of the ride-hailing company Uber that caused some customers to be incorrectly Continue Reading »
Social Media Has Come Under Scrutiny After the New Zealand Mosque Shooting. But What About the News Media?
Written on April 1, 2019 at 5:26 pm, by Hanyu Chwe
Republished from News@Northeastern by Molly Callahan The role that social media played in the lead-up and execution of a deadly attack on two mosques in New Zealand is being scrutinized closely by law enforcement officials, elected leaders, and scholars alike. But what about the role of the news media? That deserves equal attention, saysJohn Wihbey, who is an assistant Continue Reading »