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Economist Speaks on How Big Data Can Change the World
Can big data help create fair voting districts or evaluate international AIDS programs? Walsh Giarrusso, son of Mrs. Giarrusso, explored these questions with juniors and seniors this week. A 2025 University of Chicago economics graduate and current Master’s student in Computational Analysis and Public Policy, Walsh demonstrated how coding, AI, data visualization, and economic theory inform real-world policy and economic decisions.
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Can big data help create fair voting districts? How effective were international AIDS prevention programs? Was the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons actually useful at limiting nuclear weapons? These are all questions that Walsh Giarrusso, son of Mrs.Giarrusso, examined with juniors and seniors this week in his discussion of how big data can be used to tackle real-world world problems. Walsh graduated in 2025 from the University Chicago with a degree in economics and is currently finishing his Master’s Degree in Computational Analysis and Public Policy. Walsh showed the students how coding, AI, data visualization, and economic theory could all be applied to help evaluate economic investments and policy decisions.
Can big data help create fair voting districts? How effective were international AIDS prevention programs? Was the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons actually useful at limiting nuclear weapons? These are all questions that Walsh Giarrusso, son of Mrs.Giarrusso, examined with juniors and seniors this week in his discussion of how big data can be used to tackle real-world world problems. Walsh graduated in 2025 from the University Chicago with a degree in economics and is currently finishing his Master’s Degree in Computational Analysis and Public Policy. Walsh showed the students how coding, AI, data visualization, and economic theory could all be applied to help evaluate economic investments and policy decisions.
Walsh, who has worked for the World Bank and Chicago’s Department of Housing, discussed how he uses these skills to analyze loans to countries and help Chicago with budget management. The students had lots of questions and want Walsh to help with the Girls Who Code club.
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