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Ola Hall

Head of the Department of Human Geography, Lund University
I am a senior lecturer, reader and department head. My research bridges the gap between technical and social sciences, with time spent at institutions like MIT and the Royal Institute of Technology. My work primarily focuses on using satellite data, such as nighttime lights, to analyze economic development in areas with limited statistical data. This approach is particularly impactful in regions with underdeveloped public statistics or restrictive regimes.

I am is also the co-author of "Models for Non-Modelers," a guide for social scientists and researchers in understanding and applying data and statistical models. This work simplifies complex concepts in AI, epidemiology, and climate science, making them accessible to those without extensive mathematical backgrounds.

Recently, I have focused on the use of AI and satellite imagery in poverty analysis. Research in this field involves statistical analysis of welfare and poverty predictions, emphasizing the synergy of machine learning and deep learning in enhancing predictive accuracy. Recently, I combine high-resolution satellite imagery with expert analysis to estimate welfare levels, using the 2015 Tanzania DHS dataset for validation. This innovative approach highlights the potential of integrating human expertise with AI in socioeconomic research.
My mark is to merge technical and social science disciplines, making significant strides in GIS applications for socioeconomic studies and advancing the use of AI and satellite imagery in understanding complex global issues.

Economy

Nigerians throw naira notes around to show love: but it could land you in jail

The legal implication of physically damaging the naira, Nigerias currency, came into focus recently with the prosecution of at least two celebrities by the countrys Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Nigeria has a...

The US is one of the least trade-oriented countries in the world – despite laying the groundwork for today’s globalized system

Given the spate of news about international trade lately, Americans might be surprised to learn that the U.S. isnt very dependent on it. Indeed, looking at trade as a percentage of gross domestic product a metric...

Beyond the spin, beyond the handouts, here’s how to get a handle on what’s really happening on budget night

Three weeks from now, some of us will be presented with a mountain of budget papers, and just about all of us will get to hear about them on radio, TV or news websites on budget night. The quickest way to find out what...

Johannesburg in a time of darkness: Ivan Vladislavić’s new memoir reminds us of the city’s fragility

Ivan Vladislavić is Johannesburgs literary linkman. He tells us, in the first pages of his new book, The Near North, that before cities were lit, first by gaslight and later electricity, people of means paid torchbearers...

Economist Chris Richardson on an ‘ugly’ inflation result and the coming budget

With Jim Chalmerss third budget on May 14, Australians will be looking for some more cost-of-living relief beyond the tax cuts although they have been warned extra measures will be modest. As this weeks consumer price...

Politics

Sudan’s civil war is rooted in its historical favouritism of Arab and Islamic identity

The current civil war in Sudan goes beyond a simple power struggle between two generals. It reflects a deep-rooted crisis within the countrys governing structure thats been present since it gained independence from the...

South Africa’s youth are a generation lost under democracy – study

South African president Cyril Ramaphosa recently painted a rosy picture in which the countrys youth democracys children had enormous opportunities for advancement, all thanks to successive post-apartheid governments led...

Sadiq Khan on track for third term as London mayor – but nearly half of Londoners dissatisfied with performance

Polls have consistently shown that the incumbent mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, appears to be on track to win a third term in office at the upcoming mayoral elections on May 2. One poll we commissioned as part of our...

The politics stopping the UK from opening a youth mobility scheme with Europe

Earlier this week, it seemed possible that young people in the UK might soon be able to travel freely to work and live in Europe again. The European Commission laid out proposals to open mobility to millions of 18- to...

Biden administration tells employers to stop shackling workers with ‘noncompete agreements’

Most American workers are hired at will: Employers owe their employees nothing in the relationship except earned wages, and employees are at liberty to quit at their option. As the rule is generally stated, either party...

Science

IceCube researchers detect a rare type of energetic neutrino sent from powerful astronomical objects

About a trillion tiny particles called neutrinos pass through you every second. Created during the Big Bang, these relic neutrinos exist throughout the entire universe, but they cant harm you. In fact, only one of them is...

The Mars Sample Return mission has a shaky future, and NASA is calling on private companies for backup

A critical NASA mission in the search for life beyond Earth, Mars Sample Return, is in trouble. Its budget has ballooned from US$5 billion to over $11 billion, and the sample return date may slip from the end of this...

Dark matter: our new experiment aims to turn the ghostly substance into actual light

A ghost is haunting our universe. This has been known in astronomy and cosmology for decades. Observations suggest that about 85% of all the matter in the universe is mysterious and invisible. These two qualities are...

A Nasa rover has reached a promising place to search for fossilised life on Mars

While we go about our daily lives on Earth, a nuclear-powered robot the size of a small car is trundling around Mars looking for fossils. Unlike its predecessor Curiosity, Nasas Perseverance rover is explicitly intended to...

The rising flood of space junk is a risk to us on Earth – and governments are on the hook

A piece of space junk recently crashed through the roof and floor of a mans home in Florida. Nasa later confirmed that the object had come from unwanted hardware released from the international space station. The 700g,...

Technology

Binance CEO Discloses $150 Million Bribe Amidst Tensions with Nigerian Government

Binance, the renowned cryptocurrency exchange, disclosed that Nigerian government authorities demanded a staggering $150 million in bribes to quell legal actions against its executives, igniting a fierce dispute between...

Hong Kong Central Bank Leads Initiative to Explore Asset Tokenization Advancements

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has spearheaded the formation of a specialized community to explore asset tokenization. Partnering with various industry players and regulators, this initiative seeks to drive...

Shiba Inu Lead Shytoshi Kusama Unveils Mysterious 'Evita' Teaser, Sparking Frenzy

Shytoshi Kusama, the elusive figure at the helm of the renowned cryptocurrency Shiba Inu (SHIB), has set tongues wagging with a cryptic teaser shared across social media platforms. The enigmatic message features the word...

Amazon Opens Online Shopping for South African Customers

Amazon has finally arrived in South Africa. With its launch in the region, Jeff Bezos e-commerce platform is expected to compete with the leading local online shopping player, Takealot.com. The American e-commerce giant...

Apple Embarks on AI Chip Development for Data Center Capabilities

Apple Inc. is set to transform the tech landscape with its newly developed AI chip, tailored specifically for data center operations. Dubbed Project ACDC, this initiative marks a significant leap in server technology,...