I had a great day swinging by Kyoto for some meetings and to catch up with my host family, and on the Shinkansen I listened to talks for my #AcademicRunPlaylist! (1/5)
Remote
Ben Waber
@bwaber@hci.social
mastodon 4.7.3GM @ Revelio, MIT Researcher, he/him, Senior Visiting Researcher @ Ritsumeikan, Co-Founder of Humanyze, former Senior Researcher @ HBS, author of People Analytics. Most days I'll also post a list of academic talks on AI, management, law, corporate governance, psychology, anthropology, ethics, and similar topics that I've listened to throughout the day (see #AcademicRunPlaylist for examples)
1169 Followers
599 Following
50 Posts
Joined November 01, 2022
Homepage:
Well the markets in Japan didn’t have the best day, but I did have a great time giving a talk at the Japan Alternative Data Association on human capital metrics, risk modeling, and Revelio Labs! On the train ride home I was also able to listen to talks for my #AcademicRunPlaylist! (1/5)
I’ve had a hectic start to the week, but while taking the train between meetings I was able to listen to talks for my #AcademicRunPlaylist! (1/6)
Replying to
Last was "Ticket Masters" by Dean Budnick and Josh Baron. This is a detailed, case-focused history of the US ticketing industry and how it became an ossified, monopolistic market. If you're younger than 30 you probably won't know a lot of the bands mentioned here (I'm officially old), but the random events that gave rise to current industry pricing standards will be fascinating to everyone. Highly recommend
Full review: https://bookwyrm.social/user/bwaber/review/11089317/s/a-fascinating-case-focused-book#anchor-11089317 (4/4) #history
Replying to
Next was a fascinating talk by Holly Moeller on how acquired metabolism drives evolutionary innovation at the Santa Fe Institute https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmLSrpC2ujg (4/5)
Trade, Borrow, or Steal: How Acquired Metabolism Drives Evolutionary Innovation
As you might be able to tell from the ominous clouds in this picture, I got caught out in the rain today. But at least I was able to dry off later while listening to talks for my #AcademicRunPlaylist! (1/5)
I had a great half day with Estu running a workshop on organizational productivity, and later on I also went for a nice run along the Thames while listening to talks for my #AcademicRunPlaylist! (1/8)
Replying to
Next was an amazing talk by Daniel Simons on inattentional blindness at the Psychonomic Society. Simons brilliantly summarizes the state of the research on this phenomenon, then demonstrates experimentally why it's likely that everyone can randomly fall prey to it (even if it's not a guy in a gorilla suit). Highly recommend https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNhDhiNpZzg (3/6) #psychology
Psychonomic Society's One World Seminar Series presents Daniel Simons (February 26, 2026)
Replying to
@debivort@drosophila.social - Bayesian inference on biophysical models of connectomes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THFj2AzjQb4
Golnar Gharooni Fard - collective architecture of beehives - highly recommend https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twfgjyCOks4 (5/8)
Ben de Bivort | Bayesian Inference on biophysical models of connectomes
Replying to
First was an interesting conversation with Cathy Hwang and Andrew Tuch on the odd practice of PE firms choosing their lenders' counsel on the Business Scholarship Podcast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuUZ-gfpktQ (2/8)
Business Scholarship Podcast - Ep.276 – Cathy Hwang and Andrew Tuch on Borrowers Picking...
Replying to
Last was "Hijacked" by Elizabeth Anderson. This is an extremely thought-provoking examination of the historical arc of economic thought in the Western world, with uneven and citation free economic history as a distraction from that main pillar. Highly recommend
Full review: https://bookwyrm.social/user/bwaber/review/11041801/s/a-great-history-of-economic-philosophy-with-uneven-history-and-economics#anchor-11041801 (3/3)
Replying to
First was a timely talk by Maulik Jagnani on the productivity effects of air purifiers in Bangladeshi manufacturing firms at NBER https://www.youtube.com/live/aAhWVdvCNg0?si=0Wb5d1EHQMQsS2mU&t=3638 (2/5)
Environment and Energy Economics Program Meeting, Spring 2026
Replying to
Next was “Feeding the Machine” by @jmuldoon, Mark Graham and Callum Cant, who deliver a rigorous sociological review of all of the labor that drives the modern AI ecosystem, centering the exploitative and psychologically damaging conditions of data labelers. The deep investigations here show both the costs of our current model of AI development. Highly recommend
Full review: https://bookwyrm.social/user/bwaber/review/11003675/s/an-important-sociological-examination#anchor-11003675 (8/9) #AI
Replying to
First was an excellent conversation between @annmlipton and Michael Levin on the legal landmine that is the SpaceX IPO as well as how companies actually bring on independent directors on the Shareholder Primacy podcast. Highly recommend https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZ1hQOkbt1o (2/9) #law #finance
SpaceX leaks, independent directors
Replying to
Last was “Corporate Crops” by Gabriela Pechlaner. This is an incredible sociological and legal dive into the corporate crop Industry, analyzing its effects on farmers, how governments and the courts have strengthened industry's power, and the systemic effects that the rise of this method of farming is creating. Highly recommend
Full review: https://bookwyrm.social/user/bwaber/review/11016712/s/a-riveting-legal-and-sociological-dive-into-corporate-owned-crops#anchor-11016712 (9/9) #agriculture #STS
Replying to
Next was a great talk by Sumudu Watugala on how firm patenting behavior changes after natural disasters at the NBER https://www.youtube.com/live/NVfAISwWK58?si=VIKmeS7-U2jetFCR&t=23379 (3/9) #economics
- YouTube
Important paper just put out at NBER showing that data centers are already significantly increasing electricity costs for people, with rates likely to increase MUCH more if this build out continues https://conference.nber.org/conf_papers/f235887.pdf
Replying to
First was an interesting talk by Michela Boldrini on how Amazon's algorithms influence consumer choice and interventions that can change these effects at the Toulouse School of Economics https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_7HqTYyCpE (2/6) #economics
Michela Boldrini : Taming Tech Giants' Algorithms : An analysis of Consumers' Choices on Amazon
Replying to
Next was an excellent talk by Andrew Shtulman on why adults are actually more imaginative than young children at the Santa Fe Institute. Through a series of clever experiments, Shtulman shows how and why our preconceptions about childhood creativity are wrong, as well as the difficulty of more generally improving imagination. Highly recommend https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXRcLSYTomw (4/6) #psychology
The Development of Imagination
Replying to
Next was the National Bureau of Economic Research symposium on the US medical innovation system. I especially liked the talks by Maya Durvasula (missing markets for innovation) and S. Sean Tu (serial patent litigation) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl0AdM5udOo (5/6) #economics
- YouTube
Replying to
Next was a compelling talk by Chloe Gibbs and Maria Rosales-Rueda on how the expansion of government supported early childcare programs impacts maternal employment at NBER https://www.youtube.com/live/g1v9_edxnmA?si=0KKAwos9cC1wwrjo&t=22793 (5/9) #economics
- YouTube
Folks not watching para hockey in the Paralympics are missing out. These guys are incredible
There are lots of familiar names in London, and while chuckling at the collection of Massachusetts towns I listened to talks for my #AcademicRunPlaylist! (1/4)
I had a great late afternoon and evening going around Indore with Nishant Garg, and earlier I was able to listen to some talks for my #AcademicRunPlaylist! (1/3)
Replying to
Next was a thought-provoking talk by Isabel Gauthier on attempting to isolate domain-independent object recognition skills at the Psychonomic Society https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7itC-Wf8f4 (3/5)
Psychonomic Society's One World Seminar Series presents Isabel Gauthier (April 29, 2026)
Replying to
Next was a slate of talks at the Harvard Center of Mathematical Sciences and Applications:
Hungtang Ko - collective mechanical intelligence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87PbvdslLl8
Robert Wood - leveraging the intelligence of materials - highly recommend https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQuTjIhjWRs (4/8)
Hungtang Ko | Collective mechanical intelligence
Replying to
Elizabeth Tibbetts - social cognition and face recognition abilities of paper wasps - highly recommend https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlUSVaQ2Gmw (6/8)
Elizabeth Tibbetts | What paper wasps can teach us about the evolution of animal minds
Replying to
First was a great conversation between @annmlipton@esq.social and Michael Levin on challenging advance notice bylaws and precatory proposal proxy solicitation on the Shareholder Primacy podcast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SAL6pQeaIM (2/4) #law #finance
Challenging advance notice bylaws, precatory proposal proxy solicitation
Replying to
Next was a great talk by Douglas Anderson on the archaeological and anthropological view of the Iñupiat of Northwest Alaska over the past millennium https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STDi1AbNT-E (7/9) #anthropology #archaeology #indigenous #Alaska
The Iñupiat of Northwest Alaska over the Past Millennium, Douglas Anderson
Replying to
Next was a great panel at the Economic Policy Institute on correcting excess employer power in the US labor market (and obligatory discussions of AI) with Josh Bivens, Ben Zipperer, and Samantha Sanders https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP2wInYoUak (3/8)
AI: Making employee disempowerment new again
"Revenue more than doubled in the quarter, from $981.8 million a year earlier, according to a statement. Net loss widened to $740 million from $315 million, or $1.49 per share, in the same quarter a year ago."
So losses also... more than doubled...
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/07/coreweave-crwv-q1-earnings-report-2026.html
Replying to
Next was an amazing talk by Jean Pirole on how morality is inextricably tied to the structure and function of markets and economics more broadly at Cambridge Economics. Pirole builds the case for conceiving of economics as a “moral science,” centering the impossibility of “objectivity” and the importance of grappling directly with our framing of phenomena and recommendations that flow from research. Highly recommend https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGvoJukUPn0 (6/9) #economics
2018 Keynes Lecture – Professor Jean Tirole
Replying to
First was a great talk by Niamh Dunne on effectiveness and coherence in abuse of dominance enforcement in the EU at the Cambridge Faculty of Law https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMzLpDluWy0 (2/5) #law #antitrust
It was still a bit hot in London today, and while shuttling around on the poorly-ventilated tube I listened to talks and books for my #AcademicRunPlaylist! (1/4)
Replying to
Next was an engaging discussion with Katy DeCelles sociological and psychological factors that affect interaction outcomes at CASBS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnMMv9Qu568 (4/9) #psychology
The Micro-mechanisms Influencing Social Interactions
Replying to
Last was "The Dark Pattern" by Guido Palazzo and Ulrich Hoffrage. This is a decent review of major Western corporate scandals in the last few decades, summarizing media coverage and integrating some psychological research findings from other work to provide context. If you're already familiar with either of those things you're unlikely to find anything new here, as the framework the authors provide is extremely nebulous and not very helpful https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/guido-palazzo-ph-d/the-dark-pattern/9781541705326/ (8/8)
Replying to
Next was "Working in the Wings," edited by Beth Osborne and Christine Woodworth. This is a nice collection of essays at the unique intersection of US theatre history and labor, mixing some artistic analysis of how theater has portrayed labor issues from the 19th century onwards, as well as the labor of producing theatrical productions itself. I particularly liked the chapter on the First Washington Theater by AnnMarie Saunders
Full review: https://bookwyrm.social/user/bwaber/review/11099413/s/a-nice-essay-collection#anchor-11099413 (7/8) #labor #theater
Replying to
Last was "The Gift of Global Talent" by William Kerr. This book is a good introduction to the positive effects of highly valued talent immigration for companies, countries, and universities. Bill does a good job covering the evidence in this area, peppering academic studies in with the case studies illustrating larger points https://www.sup.org/books/economics-and-finance/gift-global-talent (5/5)
I had a great final day in London, and on the flight home I had lots of time to listen to books for my #AcademicRunPlaylist! (1/3)
Replying to
Next was an engaging panel on Japanese investments in the African venture ecosystem at Africa Tech Summit with Jason-Louis Carmichael, Aito Kasahara, Steve Beck, and Riki Yamauchi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzC5x5ObMHI (4/5) #startups
Demystifying Japan's Investment Into Africa Venture Ecosystem - panel session at Africa Tech Summit
Replying to
Last was "Building and Consoling a Nation: The Yiddish Historians in Their Own Words," edited by Mark L. Smith. There is a paucity of academic texts on 1500-1850 Eastern European Jewish history, so I especially liked the sections that dealt with that here. The chapters on the first Yiddish newspaper and on the Jewish guilds were standouts. Highly recommend
Full review: https://bookwyrm.social/user/bwaber/review/10334481/s/an-insightful-unique-and-moving-collection#anchor-10334481 (6/6) #history #yiddish
I waited until it cooled down a bit at night to go for a run, and while the humidity turned out to be pretty brutal I pushed through it while listening to talks for my #AcademicRunPlaylist! (1/4)
Replying to
Next was an insightful talk by Azim Surani on the hidden logic of the mammalian genome at the Blavatnik School of Government https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkKr3slzgO4 (3/4) #genomics #biology