Beyond Prediction: Data Science for Biological and Social Complexity in Health

1 credits · Graduate

Modern data science excels at prediction, but predictions alone rarely tell us why disparities exist or how to intervene. This course, taught by two HAI Data Science Fellows, bridges bioinformatics and computational social science to explore what prediction can and cannot tell us. Students examine where AI tools succeed as predictors and where they fall short in explanation, with health disparities as the central lens. Each week integrates biological and social perspectives through lectures and a hands-on lab. Students design an independent project advised by both instructors, culminating in a 1-page written proposal and a lightning talk at the HAI seminar.