In this episode of the ODSC Ai X Podcast, we speak with Noah Giansiracusa, a professor of mathematics at Bentley University and the author of Robin Hood Math (MIT Press, 2024). Noah makes the case that you don’t need to be a math genius to use numbers to challenge power, spot manipulation, and think more clearly in today’s data-saturated world. From social media algorithms to misleading rankings and risk perception, Noah explains how math is a tool for empowerment—not just abstraction.
Key Topics Covered:
Why “being pretty good at math” is enough for most real-world reasoning
The real-world implications of expected value and decision theory
How college and law school rankings are gamed—and what’s wrong with the metrics
How social media platforms like Facebook use engagement formulas to shape behavior
The problem with overestimating rare events 
Why being “numerically literate” is now a form of civic engagement
The role of anecdotes vs. data in shaping perception and risk
Memorable Outtakes:
“What I wanted to do with this book was show people that you don’t have to be 
“When we talk about risk, the things we fear the most are often not the things that are most likely to happen—and that’s a statistical insight.”
References & Resources:
Robin Hood Math by Noah Giansiracusa    https://www.noahgian.com/books
Noah Giansiracusa’s website  https://www.noahgian.com
Noah Giansiracusa’s academic page: https://faculty.bentley.edu/profile/ngiansiracusa
Mentioned research on COMPAS algorithm and algorithmic bias: https://www.propublica.org/article/machine-bias-risk-assessments-in-criminal-sentencing
College ranking methodology critique   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_college_and_university_rankings_in_North_America
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Robin Hood Math: Taking the Algorithms Back with Noah Giansiracusa

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Robin Hood Math: Taking the Algorithms Back with Noah Giansiracusa

ODSC's Ai X Podcast