Networks, Data, and Society (NERDS)

Anastassia at FOSS4G
2023-06-28 16:00 - 16:30 (Europe/Copenhagen)
https://talks.osgeo.org/foss4g-2023/talk/RPVTPU/
BikeDNA: A tool for Bicycle Infrastructure Data & Network Assessment
2023-06-28, 16:00–16:30 (Europe/Tirane), UBT C / N110 – Second Floor

Access to high-quality data on existing bicycle infrastructure is a requirement for evidence-based bicycle network planning, which can support a green transition of human mobility. However, this requirement is rarely met: Data from governmental agencies or crowdsourced projects like OpenStreetMap often suffer from unknown, heterogeneous, or low quality. Currently available tools for road network data quality assessment often fail to account for network topology, spatial heterogeneity, and bicycle-specific data characteristics.
To fill these gaps, we introduce BikeDNA, an open-source tool for reproducible quality assessment tailored to bicycle infrastructure data. BikeDNA performs either a standalone analysis of one data set or a comparative analysis between OpenStreetMap and a reference data set, including feature matching. Data quality metrics are considered both globally for the entire study area and locally on grid cell, thus exposing spatial variation in data quality with a focus on network structure and connectivity. Interactive maps and HTML/PDF reports are generated to facilitate the visual exploration and communication of results.
BikeDNA is based on open-source python libraries and Jupyter notebooks, requires minimal programming knowledge, and supports data quality assessments for a wide range of applications – from urban planning to OpenStreetMap data improvement or transportation network research. In this talk we will introduce how to use BikeDNA to evaluate and improve local data sets on bicycle infrastructure, examine what BikeDNA can teach us on the current state of data for active mobility, and discuss the importance of local quality assessments to support increased uptake of open and crowd-sourced data.

Roberta at ISSI 2023
2023-07-03 09:30 - 11:00 (America/New_York)
Quantifying biases and inequalities in science
Every day our life is made easier by efficient measures and algorithms that quantify, search, and rank scientific information. Yet, these measures and algorithms have an issue: they are trained on citations, which are ingrained with human biases. Therefore the output is inherently biased too, creating inequalities, raising concerns of discrimination, even harming growth. In this talk, I focus on recent quantitative efforts in science studies to (1) uncover bias mechanisms in science, (2) use this knowledge about biases to uncover inequalities in the scientific enterprise, and (3) create fair metrics and algorithms.
Roberta Sinatra is Professor in Computational Social Science at the University of Copenhagen (KU), and holds visiting positions at IT University of Copenhagen (ITU), ISI Foundation (Turin, Italy) and Complexity Science Hub (Vienna, Austria). She co-founded the NEtwoRks, Data, and Society (NERDS) Research group at ITU, which she led in 2019-2022, and is a co-lead of the pioneer centre for AI in Copenhagen. Her research is at the forefront of network science, data science, and computational social science. Roberta did her BSc, MSc and PhD in Physics at the University of Catania, Italy. Her research has been published in top-tier venues like Nature and Science, and has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, The Economist, The Guardian, The Washington Post, among other major media outlets. Her research has been awarded the Complex Systems Society Junior prize, the DPG Young Scientist Award for Socio- and Econophysics, and a Villum Young Investigator grant.

Anastassia at NetSci 2023
2023-07-12 12:15 - 12:30 (Europe/Copenhagen)
https://easychair.org/smart-program/NetSci2023/2023-07-12.html#talk:224079
Luca Maria Aiello, Sándor Juhász, Anastassia Vybornova, Eszter Bokányi and Michael Szell
Highways are barriers to urban social connections
PRESENTER: Anastassia Vybornova

ABSTRACT. Geographic distances influence social connections inside cities – even in our digital age [1,2]. Both the perception of physical distance and the likelihood of forming social ties across locations are influenced by infrastructural elements, as previous studies showed: public transport increases social connectivity along routes [3]; barriers to physical mobility influence the creation of social connections [4]. To directly investigate the impact of highways on social connections, we analyse how the spatial configurations of a city’s social and infrastructural networks are correlated. We use a highly granular, georeferenced social network of mutual follower relationships between Twitter users in the top 50 US metropolitan areas [5]. For each of these cities, we create a gravity-law inspired configurational null model [6] that reflects the population density and distance distribution of users’ home locations. We then overlay the spatial network of social connections with the network of highways from OpenStreetMap, and measure the average number of highways crossed by social network ties. We find that the probability of an edge crossing at least one highway is significantly lower for real social connections than for the null model, and validate these findings by several multivariate regression models. Our results confirm that urban highways, apart from causing spatial segregation patterns, also have a directly measurable negative correlation with the density of social connections, and unveil the importance of infrastructure to the study of increasing inequalities and social network fragmentation in urban areas.

NERDS talks and posters at IC2S2
2023-07-17 - 2023-07-20 | IC2S2 2023, Blegdamsvej 3B, Copenhagen, 2200, Denmark
We will present 22 talks/posters. See you in Copenhagen!
Download the PDF of our activities here: nerdsic2s2

Geospatial Data Science Tutorial at IC2S2
2023-07-17 09:00 - 12:00 (Europe/Copenhagen)
We organize the tutorial. See: https://github.com/NERDSITU/gdstutorial

DataBeers Copenhagen
2023-09-20 20:00 - 23:30 (Europe/Copenhagen) | absalon, Sønder Blvd. 73, København V, 1720, Denmark
https://absaloncph.dk/en/events/databeers-x-absalon/

Calling all data and beer enthusiasts!
Get ready for an epic night at the upcoming DataBeers x Absalon. We’re bringing the worlds of data science and beer together, and it’s going to be a blast!
We’ve gathered awesome speakers who will dive into topics that truly matter, like using data to tackle climate change, improving city bike networks, and bridging gender gaps in urban spaces. Plus, we’ll uncover the secrets of everyday data science in big companies – it’s going to be eye-opening!
The format is simple: five short 7-minute talks followed by a 3-minute Q&A. But here’s the best part: We will be providing free beer and non-alcoholic beverages for everyone. So, it’s the perfect opportunity to relax, mingle, and connect with our Copenhagen data-loving community.
Big shoutout to our awesome sponsors: DDSA, DTU, and IT University of Copenhagen.
At DataBeers, we believe the more, the merrier, so bring your friends and spread the word!
We can’t wait to see you there!

Ane at Kortdage
2023-11-01 - 2023-11-02
Kvalitetsanalyser af de danske cykelstidata
Ane Rahbek Vierø

Danmark kaldes ofte for en “cykelnation“, men afspejler det sig også i vores cykeldata? Mange ønsker i dag at arbejde mere strategisk med udbygningen af cykelinfrastruktur – herunder at gøre brug af GIS-analyser af de nuværende cykelforhold – men de tilgængelige data er ofte af varierende eller ukendt kvalitet, hvilket sår tvivl om anvendeligheden af data og analyser.
Indlægget vil præsentere highlights fra en landsdækkende analyse af kvaliteten af cykelinfrastruktur byggende på GeoDanmark- og OpenStreetMap-data. Analysen er baseret på en nyt open-source værktøj udviklet til formålet. I præsentation vil vi give eksempler på, hvordan man kan bruge kvalitetsanalyser til at forstå muligheder og begrænsninger i egne cykeldata, og komme med ideer til, hvordan kvalitetsanalyser kan understøtte anvendelsen af crowdsourcede datasæt.
Godkendte Abstracts

Arianna at Complex Networks 2023
2023-11-28 - 2023-11-30
The 12th International Conference on Complex Networks and their Applications, Menton (French Riviera), 28-30 November 2023
Extended abstract 1 (poster): Tell Me Who You Are and I Will Predict Your Vulnerability to Political Persuasion Techniques w. Lucio La Cava and Alessia Antelmi
Given the evolving role of social media in political communication and the strategic use of these platforms by politicians to shape public opinion, research has commonly focused on investigating computational propaganda as a means for automated information diffusion. Focusing on a less explored yet promising line, we aim to assess political persuasion in digital contexts by introducing a computational framework that combines Natural Language Processing and Network Science methods to investigate the linkage between persuasion techniques on social media and personality traits of online political audiences. Our final goal is to enhance public awareness of political tactics and encourage critical thinking in response to the online spread of political information.
Extended abstract 2 (lighting talk, awarded as Best Lightning Talk): Finding Hidden Swingers in the 2022 Italian Elections Twitter Discourse w. Lucio La Cava and Alessia Antelmi
The volume of the Italian online political discourse on social media has recently increased, but the coverage level does not compare with other Countries such as the US. Nonetheless, researchers focused on studying polarization and homophily concerning political debates or investigating the role of populism in online engagement. In this research landscape, the analysis of political preference shifts through social media remains to be explored. We aim to bridge this gap by examining the Twitter discourse during the 2022 Italian general elections, with a specific emphasis on political “swingers”. In particular, our findings indicate a stable political discourse in Italy, yet they also uncover a growing presence of political swingers willing to shift their support to significantly different factions.

Roberta's Keynote at the CHR 2023
2023-12-07 11:00 - 12:30 (Europe/Copenhagen) | ÉCOLE POUR L’INFORMATIQUE ET LES TECHNIQUES AVANCÉES, Paris, France
Roberta gave a keynote talk at the Computational Humanities Research Conference 2023 (CHR 2023). The conference is held in Paris, 6-8 December 2023. Roberta’s gave an online keynote talk, entitled “Quantifying the dynamics of impact in science and art”.

Arianna at NetSciX24
2024-01-22 - 2024-01-25
NetSciX24, Venice (Italy), 22-25 January 2024 https://netscix2024.netscisociety.org/
Extended abstract (regular talk): The Storm Within: Hurricanes and Socio-Political Leaning in Climate Change Group Behavior w. Luca Maria Aiello
Climate change is a pressing global crisis marked by a surge in extreme weather events, requiring societal responses and mitigation efforts. Focusing on the significant events of the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane season, we scrutinize their impact on climate change-related group behavior on Reddit. By investigating topical discussion groups, categorizing them based on socio-political leaning, and analyzing their responses to climate change discourse, our study aims to illuminate how extreme climate events influence engagement across diverse socio-political spectra. This examination contributes valuable insights into the dynamic interplay between climate crises and online discourse, offering a nuanced perspective for effective climate communication and intervention strategies.

NERDS at D3A
2024-02-01 - 2024-02-02
https://d3aconference.dk/program/
SESSION #3 – AN INTERDISCIPLINARY DIVE INTO CLIMATE IT
ROOM: Sal G
The climate emergency is a multidimensional and wicked problem that requires a range of responses at various scales (local, regional, national, and planetary). Whether the issue of concern is renewable energy and carbon reduction, biodiversity loss, transport, agriculture, the circular economy, mitigation and adaptation, or more desirable economies, IT plays a central role. This seminar engages with the intersection between climate and digital technologies from different disciplinary perspectives to highlight how this intersection is multilayered and fraught with tension.
Our first speaker will show how data-driven analysis can help urban planners design better infrastructure for active mobility like cycling. By addressing active mobility infrastructure from a system-wide and strategic angle, data science can identify shortcomings in, for example, cycling accessibility and help build more sustainable cities. In this talk they will present how network science can guide investments in cycling infrastructure, introduce the importance of incorporating subjective perceptions when quantifying bikeability, and finally discuss the limitations and criticism of bicycle network research.
Our second speaker will add to this perspective by looking at applications of spatiotemporal data analysis and forecasting in topics related to sustainability. Connecting to the previous talk, the speaker will give examples of data gaps in last mile logistics and how prediction models can have a positive impact on the efficiency and sustainability of delivery systems. Secondly, she will discuss spatiotemporal data processing in the use case of renewable energy, particularly wind power prediction. The speaker will discuss new machine learning approaches that leverage location information to predict wind power output and the associated costs of running more complex large models.
Finally, the third speaker will present a framing of the overall session by asking ‘what is meant by “Climate IT”?’ And discuss this concept in relation to related discussions of ’twin transition’. The paper will consequently turn to what we legitimately can expect and demand of the role of IT in green transitions and processes of sustainability. After these three short talks, there will be room for discussion with input from the audience.
Overall, the panel aims to explore the tense relations between digital technologies and climate change. On the one hand, it highlights the ways in which these technologies can create the fact-based, large-scale knowledge that can equip us to tackle the very complex problems our societies are faced with. On the other hand, the panel also critically engages with how the revolutionary promises made by digital technologies often make us gloss over their growing climate impact. Together, the different perspectives enable us to gain a deeper and more nuanced understanding of how to address arguably the most pressing challenge of our times, the climate emergency.
Format
Seminar with three short talks for questions and discussion.
Theme
The role of digital technologies in addressing societal challenges
Target Audience
The session is meant for anyone with an interest in climate change, both academics from different disciplaines and IT professionals.
There is no maximun number of participants for the session.
Organizers

Ane Rahbeck Vierø, Ph.D. Fellow, Department of Computer Science, IT University of Copenhagen
Maria Sinziiana Astefanoai, Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science, IT University of Copenhagen
Steffen Dalsgaard, Professor at the Department of Business IT, Head of Center for Climate IT, IT University of Copenhagen

Data Science Seminar with Paul Smaldino
2025-09-24 12:30 - 13:15 (Europe/Copenhagen) | ITU, 3F07, Kaj Munks Vej 11, Copenhagen, 2300, Denmark
Title: Why Use An Evolutionary Perspective To Study Culture?
Abstract: Theodosius Dobzhansky famously wrote in 1973, “Nothing in biology makes sense except in light of evolution.” Biology is, of course, the study of living things. Humans are living things. Therefore, to study humans is to engage in biology. Yet, despite the prominent of Darwinian theory in the study of non-human animals, there is still widespread resistance to an evolutionary mindset when studying humans. Much of this is understandable. In the 1970s, Darwinian theory had little to say about human behavior and culture. Contributions from “social Darwinism” were racist and misguided, while evolutionary psychology has largely failed to capture the richness of the human experience. I will discuss an expanded view of evolutionary systems, including gene-culture coevolution and modern theories of cultural evolution, that show us why an evolutionary perspective offers much to the study of human cognition, behavior, and culture. I will highlight some of my own work in this area, focusing on formal models of identity, social learning, and collective problem-solving.
Biography
Paul Smaldino is a Professor of Cognitive and Information Science and a member of the Quantitative and Systems Biology graduate group at University of California Merced, and an external professor at the Santa Fe Institute. Smaldino studies how behaviors emerge and evolve under social, cultural, or ecological pressures, often through the lens of mathematical and numerical modeling of social behavior and complex systems. Smaldino has degrees in physics and psychology and draws on this interdisciplinary background in his research.
Information for non-ITU participants: To enter the building (which is located in DR Byen), meet Jonas Juul here at 12:20 pm. He will let you in. Get in touch by writing Jonas Juul an email (see his website.)
