Distinctive Voices: Talithia Williams

Talithia Williams, Ph.D. is an assistant professor in the Mathematics department at Harvey Mudd College. Previously with NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and NASA Johnson Space Science Center, she has conducted research with the National Security Agency. Her research on modeling cataract surgical rates in Africa is leading toward a more effective means of deploying resources to eliminate blindness.

Statistics are used to educate, (legitimate statistics) and to move public opinion (propaganda) on issues ranging from birth control to terrorism. Beware, so-called statistical calculations to be not only taken with a grain of salt, but should be investigated for motive and accounted as an actual attempt to manipulate individuals and the public at large. This lecture addresses applications of statistics in American media with examples of gross abuse of statistics.

See also: How juries are fooled by statistics.

This is an important video lecture, ~MW.