- Predicting Fetal Macrosomia How much will a baby weigh when it is born, and which babies will be unusually large? I wanted to see how well I could predict fetal birthweights, focusing on the problem of macrosomia, or large birthweight. The most common definition of this condition is that an infant weighs more than 4000 grams, or 8 lbs 13 oz at birth (though it is sometimes defined as weighing more than 4500 grams / 9 lbs 15 oz). Fetal macrosomia attracts periodic media coverage (see for example NY Times, 11 January 2016, NBC News, 16 August 2013) and is of medical concern because large infants are associated with various kinds of birth complications, including more maternal and fetal injuries at birth and more frequent hospitalization of the newborn (see Jolly et al 2003, Boulet et al 2003, Stotland et al 2004, Rossi et al 2013).
- Exploring U.S. National Park Service Visitor Data With Natural Language Processing Great Basin National ParkHawaii Volcanoes National ParkEllis Island National Monument
- How 911 Call Data May Help Police Prioritize Emergency Response Police departments and emergency responders have a tough job. Protecting the public while maintaining the trust of citizens in diverse communities would be challenging under any circumstances, and resource constraints all too often add to the burden. In the interest of transparency, police departments around the country are making much of their data publicly available online. Of the many potential uses for this data, perhaps one of the most valuable is its potential to assist police departments in maximizing the effective use of limited budgets.
- What makes for a popular movie remake? Some movie remakes turn into beloved films, while others flop. The 1983 remake of Scarface starring Al Pacino (original: 1932) has become a classic in its own right. The 1998 remake of Psycho (original: 1960), on the other hand, was widely panned.
- Student Voter Registration at the NYC Subway With the election coming up in a mere 6 weeks (!), it’s a busy time in politics. One of the perennial challenges for political parties and their candidates is motivating and turning out their own likely voters, those who can be expected to vote for them rather than the competition. In every election cycle, this involves identifying and registering new voters who fit the bill. For the Democrats, young people who haven’t voted before are a major target demographic. If they vote, they are disproportionately likely to vote for Democrats. Yet they are much less likely than older Americans to be registered.
