Andrea Jones-Rooy, Ph.D.

Photo: NYU

Photo: Arin Sang-urai

Photo: Grubby Cho

I am a data scientist with a focus on political science and complexity.  I have written some books and several research papers on complex systems, and I regularly contribute articles to media outlets on (you guessed it!) data science — plus political science, international relations, diversity, and uncertainty. I am also a standup comedian and circus performer. It’s all kind of a lot, but basically I’ll do whatever it takes to get people to see that we need them involved in science. I earned my Ph.D. in Political Science at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

In short: I am obsessed with getting smart people who think they don’t have a role to play in (data) science involved, and if you’re reading this website you’re either my mother or possibly interested in getting involved (or both!) and I’m so glad you’re here.

Applying Social & Data Science to our World

I am obsessed with getting the Good News about social science & complexity out there in the world. To accomplish this, I host the podcast Behind the Data, and recently concluded a series of live shows about how political science can help us understand elections.

I am also a research consultant and keynote speaker for organizations, including Global Fortune 500s, tech companies, nonprofits, and the UN, helping them more thoughtfully and creatively apply data science to their toughest challenges.  I often partner with Scott E. Page, diversity, complexity, and models mastermind of our time. If you’d like to book me to speak, please contact the Washington Speakers Bureau.

Previously, I was a professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies at the NYU Center for Data Science, where I developed and taught their flagship course Data Science for Everyone. I have translated our key concepts into a YouTube series as well as a publicly-available online textbook co-authored with Arthur Spirling.

This doesn't look like much, but it predicts what you read in the news.

This doesn't look like much, but it predicts what you read in the news.

 
Are you as underwhelmed as the DJ in the background?

Are you as underwhelmed as the DJ in the background?

 

Understanding the Role of Censorship in Society

My primary area of actual original research in social science is on international conflict and censorship, especially in authoritarian countries. My life goal (after getting everyone to fall in love with social science) is to understand how information affects group adaptability.  I wrote a dissertation on this topic and one day will publish some actual papers on it.  They take awhile, especially when you are as insecure as I am.

 

Performance and Multimedia

In addition to being a researcher and teacher, I am a standup comedian and circus artist, both of which I have performed for audiences all over the world, including members of various royal families, drunk teenagers in rural Switzerland, the nouveau riche of Shanghai, and Russian Americans celebrating wedding anniversaries in Sheepshead Bay.  I also (attempt to) entertain & inform audiences online with my live-streaming show Ask a Political Scientist, short YouTube videos, podcasts, various blog attempts, and way too many, mostly disappointing, hand-drawn cartoons.