Podcast: The IDEMS Podcast

In this episode, George interviews David, discussing the development of an ‘Introduction to Systems Modeling’ course in collaboration with the Open University of Kenya. They explore balancing theoretical and practical approaches to enhance postgraduate students’ modeling skills and emphasize the value of collaboration and iteration in course development.

David Stern is joined by Lily Clements and James Musyoka to discuss the Kenyan MSc program in Maths Innovation. By focusing on data rather than just methods, the program aims to foster a culture of informed decision-making and data literacy in Kenya. They emphasise the importance of contextualising AI and data science education to cater…

David and Mike Obiero continue their discussion on the Mathematics Innovations MSc program focusing on the textbook project and how it relates to it. Mike presents his vision on how a community of teachers and educators can be built to create open educational resources of mathematics, and in particular to an interactive, contextualisable open electronic…

David Stern and Mike Obiero continue their discussion of the MSc in Math Innovation program. The program’s three major pathways – educational innovation, mathematics, and data and AI – are designed to fill specific gaps and cater to diverse interests. They highlight the flexibility of the program and its suitability for both local and international…

David welcomes Mike Obiero back to the podcast, president of the Kenyan Maths Society and lecturer at Maseno University. They discuss a new, flexible MSc programme targeted at mathematics teachers in Kenya. The aim is to empower teachers, provide practical skills, and leverage the rich history of mathematics education in Kenya to produce the next…

Lucie Hazelgrove Planel and David Stern discuss an intriguing study on the ecological benefits of solar panels in desert regions. They discuss how solar panels can increase biodiversity by providing shade, reduce desertification, and potentially convert unproductive desert land into valuable solar farms that generate electricity and support agricultural activities, helping to create sustainable oases…

David Stern interviews Aminou from Niger about his work with Fuma Gaskiya, a farmer federation. They discuss the federation’s origins, its growth from around 5,000 to over 21,000 members, including 55% women, and its significant achievements. Aminou shares how Fuma Gaskiya managed a research grant, tackled data collection challenges, and demonstrated the efficacy of using…

In this episode, David chats with Laouali from the Sahel IPM team about his inspiring journey in biological pest control. Laouali shares his experiences from starting with the GIMEM project, mentoring students, expanding pest management techniques, and his aspirations for safer, organic agriculture in Niger.

In this episode, Lily and David explore different types of graphs and their uses in data visualization. They discuss how to categorize visualizations for quick data checks, detailed interpretation, and effective presentations, emphasizing the importance of tailoring graphs to the audience.

Data scientists Lily Clements and David Stern discuss the concept of variability in data analysis. They explore different types of variability, particularly in the context of using ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) to analyse data variability. Considering practical examples from agriculture, they consider the complexity of distinguishing between natural and unaccounted-for variability.