Podcast: The IDEMS Podcast

Lily and David discuss the evolution of R-Instat, an open-source front-end statistical software for R. They explore the development of the back-end calculation system, which aims to simplify complex data analysis and enhance reproducible research. David explains how R-Instat addresses the challenges of multi-level data and automates calculations, making it accessible to users who may…

Lucie and David discuss what IDEMS’ “service mentality” is and how it differs from providing services. They explore what this means for the company, in its external partnerships and its internal management.

The idea of “Community Tech” is central to many of IDEMS’ initiatives, and in this episode Lucie and Kate explore its meaning. They contrast the exciting possibilities of developing community tech with the challenges of effectively managing the communities and technologies involved.

Lucie and David reflect on the last 2 years of the organisation mentoring scheme and how it might continue to evolve to suit the needs and interests of employees. The scheme is shared between the 3 sister companies: IDEMS, INNODEMS and most recently, GHAIDEMS, and brings together colleagues from different continents and countries to support…

IDEMS creates internships and workshops with a flexibility that is unusual. Lucie and David discuss this collaborative approach which aims to respond to and provide opportunities to participants. For example, by splitting a group of interns into two teams with different start dates, according to their experience levels. This approach presents opportunities and risks.

In this episode, Santiago invites David to reflect on the Second African STACK conference, held from 12th to 16th August 2024 at the Technical University of Kenya. They discuss how the event went, some outcomes, learnings and challenges that were highlighted, such as sustainability, and describe the growth of the African STACK Community. A general…

Franca Hoffmann is an Assistant Professor in Computing and Mathematical Sciences at Caltech and International Scientific Advisor at Quantum Leap Africa, at the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS). In this episode, David Stern talks to Franca about their recent experiences in Kenya, including a workshop in Kisumu organized by the American Institute of Mathematics…

In August 2024, the American Institute of Mathematics (AIM) organised a workshop in Kenya, bringing together participants from various countries to explore the use of open-source tools like STACK and WebWork in mathematics education. Santiago and David reflect on how the event facilitated meaningful collaborations between African and international educators, offering insights into the unique…

IDEMS is guided by its principle ‘Open by Default’, a well-developed concept in technology and software fields, but less developed in research, science and data. David and Lucie explore the differences between open science and open data, and question whether or how open science might create inequalities.

In this episode, we explore the future of AI in education through a discussion with Lily and David, focusing on the potential and limitations of AI technologies. They break down the future into four key categories: tasks that AI will never achieve perfectly, tasks that are a matter of “when” not “if”, transformative innovations on…