In light of public health measures, the CSDE Spring 2020 Seminar Series is now completely virtual via Zoom. We have an excellent array of speakers and topics and are excited to continue our tradition of sharing critical demographic insights via this new format. To register for the Zoom seminars, please visit our seminar webpage and select any seminar to register for it. Once you register, you will receive a confirmation email with a link to enter the seminar. But don’t worry, even if you lose that email confirmation, when you click on the seminar registration link you will be automatically directed into the zoom meeting. Please do not hesitate to contact us at csde@uw.edu should any concerns arise. CSDE wishes that you stay safe, healthy, and energized for this new Spring quarter!

This Friday, CSDE Affiliate Bo Zhao will present results from a study on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and GIScience. The recent convergence of AI and GIScience has been hailed for its transformational capacity in intelligentizing geospatial technologies, and such capacity could also unintendedly or purposefully generate problematic geospatial data. The more recent emergence of “Deep Fake” – an especially controversial use of AI, although not widely applied in GIScience yet, has stimulated widespread attention to its severe social and political impacts. In this presentation, Zhao and co-authors encourage GIScientists, geospatial data users, and the public to adjust the pure optimism about AI’s merits or pessimism of its drawbacks, thereby recognize and understand AI’s complex implications on individuals and human societies.

Designed to complement formal course instruction, CSDE Workshops are offered in a shorter, more accessible format responsive to the specific demographic research needs of CSDE’s Trainees and Faculty Affiliates. This Spring quarter, CSDE is offering virtual Workshops on the topics below. Click on any Workshop to learn more and register:

• R and Relational Databases – Phil Hurvitz (Monday April 13, 12:30-3:30 via Zoom)
• Microsoft Word for the Social Sciences – Phil Hurvitz (Monday April 20, 12:30-3:30 via Zoom)

There is so much we are juggling in these times, however, don’t let slip this very important national effort – the 2020 Census. It shapes our future and means so much for our communities. The census count determines federal funding which underwrites vital public services and public goods for all of us. The census count informs congressional redistricting. And, the census count contributes towards valuable basic scientific research and research for evidence based policy and more…!  

Despite the consistent gun violence crisis in the US, a lack of funding for gun violence research and roadblocks for firearm policy implementation exist. This is why CSDE Affiliate Ali Rowhani-Rahbar co-authored a recent editorial titled “US Gun Violence and Deaths” for The BMJ. In the editorial, Rowhani-Rahbar and his co-authors welcome funding from Congress for gun research—as gun violence is a public health crisis, Congress must allocate the federal funding quickly. However, Rowhani-Rahbar details how research alone will not suffice. As political divides create obstacles for implementation of policies to reduce gun violence, research "must include how to release the logjam of politics federally and how best to implement laws in communities".

The NIH is well aware of the challenges being felt in the research community as institutions are closing, people are being asked to practice social distancing, and resources and attention are justifiably focused on public health needs. NIH is currently working quickly to develop answers to many questions through the following links: NIH recently updated its Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Information for NIH Applicants and Recipients website with a slew of additional FAQs, new funding opportunities, as well as a video message where they address some of the most common questions. Additionally, NIH has published a notice announcing that grant applications submitted late for due dates between March 9, 2020, and May 1, 2020, will be accepted through May 1, 2020.