Abstract

Hi Reddit, My name is Samuel Kou and I am a Professor of Statistics at Harvard University. My research interests include infectious disease tracking and forecasting, big data analytics, mathematical modeling in biology, and development of statistical methodologies. I recently published an article titled Advances in using Internet searches to track dengue in PLOS Computational Biology. In the article, we presented a mathematical model that uses Google search data and government-provided clinical data to track dengue fever. The accurate tracking of dengue fever by our model in multiple countries shows that Internet search information, properly utilized, can help governments and health officials track infectious diseases, which is particularly important for countries with less advanced clinical based surveillance systems. I will be answering your questions at 1pm ET. Ask me Anything!