Institute for Mathematics and its Applications (IMA) Public Lecture Series
http://www.ima.umn.edu/public-lecture/
Can chocolate save your life?
7:00P.M., Thursday, April 22, 2010, Willey Hall 175
Nancy Reid (Statistics, University of Toronto)
This question appeared in a recent newspaper headline, but was based on a study involving only 14 people. How can we interpret the statistics behind headlines? What does statistically significant really mean? How do statistics get manipulated to further an agenda? The field of statistics is essential to understanding most current issues. It informs economics, health care, and environmental protection. The speaker calls statistics mathematical social work; it helps science progress, so it is important to understand its power.
