Episodes
Wednesday May 19, 2021
2. Responding to COVID-19 using Big Data
Wednesday May 19, 2021
Wednesday May 19, 2021
In this episode of Exploring Global Problems, Professor Ronan Lyons discusses with Dr Sam Blaxland how anonymised big data is used to help tackle all manner of health and well-being challenges and how this expertise informed Government Response to COVID-19.
In a hard-hitting interview, Dr Blaxland explores what next? When can we expect to be back to normal? And were the sacrifices of peoples liberties and freedoms the right call?
The work of Professor Ronan Lyons and his teams at Swansea University focus on using anonymised health data in order to help inform policy makers and practitioners across Wales, the UK and globally.
Led by Professor Ronan Lyons, Professor in Public Health, Patient and Population Health Informatics researchers at Swansea University used their insight and expertise to help inform Welsh Government response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their expertise actively helping respond and bring the pandemic under control in Wales.
Tuesday May 25, 2021
3. Digital Inclusivity
Tuesday May 25, 2021
Tuesday May 25, 2021
In this episode of Exploring Global Problems, Professor Tom Crick (Professor of Digital Education & Policy), and Dr Yan Wu (Associate Professor in Media and Communication), examine digital inclusivity. They discuss digital education, including how to become digitally confident and capable citizens in a data-driven and computational world; how digital education supports wider work across the digital economy, infrastructure, society and culture; and the issues of inclusion and accessibility, and especially sensory impaired people’s access to and usage of digital media in Wales.
Professor Crick has been heavily involved with curriculum reform in Wales over the past 10 years, with a specific focus on STEM education and digital skills. In 2017, he was appointed MBE for “services to computer science and the promotion of computer science education” and was awarded the 2020 BERA Public Engagement and Impact Award for “Leading the Future of Science & Technology Education in Wales”. Professor Crick is also a Commissioner of the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales (2018-present), as well as previously an expert panel member for the Welsh Government’s Review of Digital Innovation in the Economy and the Future of Work (2019).
Dr Wu’s research in the past 10 years focuses on the impact of digitalisation of services and information on the welfare of sensory impaired users in Wales. It highlights how increasing digitalisation brings not only many benefits, but also risks of exclusion, and possible widening of the existing digital gaps. Dr Wu and her research team conducted empirical research combined with related engagement with end-users and beneficiaries, which has had a substantive influence on digital inclusion policies and practices in Wales. Specifically, the research work has helped shape and promote new media practices within broadcasting organisations in 2014. The recent research with the Royal National Institute of Blind People in 2018 has also influenced digital inclusion policy initiatives of government bodies, non-profit and non-governmental organisations. Dr Wu represents Swansea University as a member for Wales Vision Strategy 2018-2021.