Caroline Jay: People and data

We appear to find probability difficult to understand. We fail to interpret information about risk ‘rationally’, even when the data are right in front of us. When we do understand the figures, we don’t necessarily take them into account in our behaviour. This talk examines the role of human ‘bias’ in information interpretation. How do perception, cognition, lived experience and emotion affect the way we interpret information - and can changing the way we present and interact with data moderate their effects?

Caroline Jay is a Professor of Computer Science and Head of Research in the School of Engineering at the University of Manchester. She is qualified as both a Psychologist (BA, CPsychol) and Computer Scientist (MSc, PhD), and undertakes research crossing these domains. She is Research Director of the Software Sustainabilty Institute, and a keen advocate for open and reproducible science. Caroline holds a Mercator Fellowship at Humboldt University of Berlin, where she is investigating the implications of new technologies, including generative AI, for the construction of scientific workflows. She was named as one of the Guardian's Top 50 Women in Engineering: Inventors and Innovators, for her work advancing ECG interpretation.

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The talk will start at 17:30, with coffee available from 17:00.
If you would like to attend dinner, please complete the following form to indicate you are attending and share any food preferences:
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The cost for dinner is £30. You will not be asked to pay at this stage, but please transfer your payment to the usual bank account in advance:
Sort code: 08 92 99
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**Please book dinner by March 7**