The Random Sample

Understanding a living cell is one of the biggest challenges in modern science. Cells carry out an extraordinary number of tasks every second and understanding how all those processes fit together is central to biology. But even with advanced experiments and mountains of data, scientists still don’t have a complete picture of what a cell does – or how it might respond to new conditions or interventions. The ARC Centre of Excellence for the Mathematical Analysis of Cellular Systems – or MACSYS – aims to change that. MACSYS brings together mathematicians and computational scientists to work alongside biologists toward a bold goal: creating a predictive, fully computational model of a cell. The Random Sample is excited to partner with MACSYS as our principal new partner organisation. To introduce you to the Centre’s work, we’re bringing you a two-part series. This first episode takes a mathematical lens, featuring two of the Centre’s mathematical modellers and Chief investigators: UNSW Professor Adelle Coster and QUT Professor Mat Simpson. Together, we explore how modelling helps make sense of biological data, how collaboration across disciplines pushes science forward, and why whole‑cell modelling demands both mathematical insight and biological intuition. Our host is Tim Macuga. Episode webpage: https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/macsys-pt1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Technology is transforming how we understand society. For decades, researchers relied on surveys to learn about populations. But today, data comes from everywhere - administrative records, social media, and even fitness trackers. In this episode, we explore this shift with Professor Frauke Kreuter - a global leader in social data science. She explains how combining traditional survey methods with diverse data sources can help answer critical questions about health, education, and public policy, while also revealing the challenges of bias in digital data. Recently, Frauke has made a bold move into artificial intelligence and large language models (LLMs). She shares why this transition matters, how AI is reshaping social research, and what the future holds for data-driven insights. Our host is Cynthia Huang. Episode page: https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/social-data-science/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For decades, surveys have been the backbone of official statistics - helping us measure everything from population trends to economic activity. But response rates have been falling dramatically across the world for the past few decades. This decline is forcing statistical agencies to rethink how they collect the data we all rely on. In this episode, we explore the shift toward multi-source data with our special guest, Dr Anders Holmberg, General Manager and Chief Methodologist for the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). What is multi-source data, how is it collected, and what are the challenges for official statistics agencies as they move to these new data sources? Our host is Professor James Brown, Professor of Official Statistics and current head of discipline for Mathematical Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney. Episode webpage:  https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/multi-source-data-abs/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Modern slavery is often hidden in corporate supply chains, making it hard to detect and eliminate. Countries like Australia now require companies to publish annual reports on their efforts to combat slavery - but with thousands of reports, no government can read them all. That’s where Project AIMS comes in. Led by Adriana Bora at the QUT Centre for Data Science, Project AIMS explores how cutting-edge AI can be used to compare thousands of these reports. To push this work further, Adriana helped organise a global hackathon, bringing together teams from around the world to develop innovative solutions. In this episode of The Random Sample, we meet Adriana and members of the winning hackathon teams – from South Africa, Cameroon, and Australia – who share how data science can make the invisible visible and why technology can play a vital role in ending modern slavery. Our host is Tim Macuga. Episode webpage:  https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/aims-hackathon/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We recently celebrated World Statistics Day on 20 October. To mark the occasion, the Statistical Society teamed up with the Australian Data Science Network for a lively online panel discussion on a topic of growing importance: trust in data. The expert panel brought together a wealth of experience from government, academia, and industry to explore the real-world challenges of building and maintaining trust in data. Since both the Statistical Society and the Australian Data Science Network are partner organisations of The Random Sample, we’re excited to share that discussion with you here. The discussion was moderated by Lynne Giles, an Associate Professor of Biostatistics at The University of Adelaide and President of the Statistical Society of Australia. The panellists are: Dr Lucy Farrell is Director of Data Strategy in the Australian Centre for Disease Control Establishment Strategy Branch at the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.  Associate Professor Kalinda Griffiths is a Yawuru woman living and working on Larrakia Country. She is an epidemiologist and the Director of Poche SA+NT at Flinders University. Dr Ben Harrap is Vice President of the Statistical Society of Australia and a biostatistician who loves all things data.  Simon Jackman is a leading analyst of public opinion, elections and electoral systems and an Honorary Professor at the University of Sydney.  Dr Sue Keay is Director of the UNSW AI Institute and an expert in robotics, AI, and automation. Dr Aaron Snoswell is a senior research fellow in AI accountability at the QUT Generative AI Lab. Episode webpage:  https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/data-we-can-trust/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coral reefs are among the most diverse and valuable ecosystems on Earth – but they’re also among the most vulnerable. Thanks to climate change, pollution, and other human impacts – coral reefs are in crisis.  The need for fast, coordinated action has never been greater. One of the biggest challenges is getting accurate, up-to-date data, especially from remote or isolated reef systems. Without that data, it’s hard to know where the damage is happening, how fast it’s progressing, or what actions might help. That’s where ReefCloud comes in. ReefCloud is a digital platform that brings together the world’s coral reef monitoring community. It combines artificial intelligence, statistical analysis, and data visualisation to help scientists and decision makers to understand reef changes and respond to them faster and more effectively. In this episode, we talk to Dr Manuel Gonzalez-Rivero, a Research Team Leader with the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS). He also leads ReefCloud. Our host is Dr Julie Vercelloni, a research scientist at AIMS. Episode webpage:  https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/reefcloud/  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The art of engagement for the Australian Bureau of Statistics  How do you make statistics and complex data not just understandable - but engaging? For the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the answer is simple: meet people where they are - on social media. From pop culture and sports to quirky factoids, the ABS social media team uses fun, relatable content to build a massive following. How massive? We’re talking hundreds of thousands of followers across multiple platforms. Once they’ve got your attention, they make sure the important ABS material is right there in the mix - explained clearly and accessibly. In this episode, we speak with Heather Lansdowne, the leader of the ABS social media team, about how they’re changing the way people connect with statistics. Our host is Tim Macuga. Episode webpage: https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/abs-social-media/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it really mean for something to be complex - and how can mathematics help us make sense of it? In this episode of The Random Sample, our guest is Professor Michael Small, leader of the Complex Systems Group at the University of Western Australia. Michael’s research uses mathematics to uncover hidden patterns in the chaos of the world around us - from social networks and pandemics to psychiatric illness and engineering problems. Michael also shares candid thoughts on the pressures of academic publishing. Plus, we also dive into the rise of artificial intelligence, where Michael argues AI won’t replace mathematics - but it will change it. It’s a wide-ranging discussion – hosted by Dr Mehwish Nasim, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering at the University of Western Australia. Episode webpage: https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/complex-systems-michael-small/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today’s data-driven world, questions around who controls data, how it’s used, and who benefits from it are more pressing than ever. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, these questions carry even deeper significance—rooted in histories of exclusion, marginalisation, and misrepresentation. In this episode, we explore the vital issue of Indigenous data governance and sovereignty with Levi-Craig Murray, an Aboriginal man of Wakka Wakka and Kubi Kubi descent. Levi brings deep insight to this conversation, drawing on his experience as the former Strategic Manager of Indigenous Data with the Indigenous Studies Unit at the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health. Now undertaking full-time postgraduate study, he continues to advocate for reshaping how Indigenous data is understood, governed, and respected. Released during NAIDOC Week 2025, this episode invites listeners to reflect on the role of data in shaping futures—and how we can all contribute to more inclusive and culturally informed data practices. Our host is Dr Bernadette Hyland-Wood from the QUT Centre for Data Science. Episode webpage:  https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/indigenous-data/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Random Sample steps into the dynamic world of interdisciplinary research—viewed through the lens of data science and statistics. Our guest is a true leader in collaborative science: Professor Galit Shmueli. Galit is the Tsing Hua Chair Professor at the Institute of Service Science at National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan, the inaugural editor-in-chief of the INFORMS Journal on Data Science, and a Fellow of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics. In this episode, she shares her insights on building meaningful connections across disciplines — and reflects on the role of artificial intelligence and large language models in shaping the future of research. Our host is Cynthia Huang. Episode webpage: https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/interdisciplinar…ch-galit-shmueli/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A few short years ago, it was one of the most hyped technology fields around. But after all that excitement, where are we now with autonomous vehicles — or driverless cars? In this episode, we go under the hood to explore how AVs gather and use data, and the complex mathematics that helps them navigate a messy, unpredictable world. What are the challenges still standing in the way? And how close are we, really, to letting go of the wheel? Our guest is Professor Michael Milford, Director of the QUT Centre for Robotics – and someone who’s been working on this problem for much of his career. Our host is Dr James Nichols. Episode webpage: https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/autonomous-vehicles/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re diving into the design and development of the tools that have transformed data science and statistical programming — with none other than Dr Hadley Wickham. Hadley is the Chief Scientist at Posit (formerly RStudio), where he leads the Tidyverse team. This team is behind some of the most widely used open-source packages in the R programming language — including dplyr and ggplot2. These tools have empowered thousands of data scientists and researchers to explore complex datasets and communicate insights through compelling visualisations. In this episode,  Hadley shares key lessons he’s learnt from over two decades of building and maintaining open-source software. We also look ahead, as he discusses where he sees data science tooling headed — and the principles that will shape its future. Our host is Cynthia Huang. Episode webpage: https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/hadley-wickham/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Researchers and decision-makers face a familiar challenge: data exists, but it’s often locked away. Once research is published, the underlying data and analysis frequently vanish into private repositories—accessible only through time-consuming permissions or technical expertise. For those working on urgent issues like climate change and public health, these data silos slow progress and limit impact. In this episode, we look at AusEnHealth, a project aiming to change that. As Australia’s first national digital environmental health decision support platform, AusEnHealth is being designed to bring together fragmented datasets and make them easier to access, explore, and use. The goal is to offer interactive visualisations and built-in analytics that deliver rapid insights—even for those without the time, tools, or training to process complex data on their own. Our guest for this episode is Dr Aiden Price, a Senior Research Fellow with the QUT Centre for Data Science and one of the lead researchers in this project. Our host is Tanya Dodgen, a PhD Candidate at QUT. Episode webpage:  https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/ausenhealth/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is no longer a futuristic concept.  It’s here, embedded in almost every technology we use. It’s one of the most transformative forces of our time, and in this episode, we’re unpacking what that means, focusing on the powerful engines behind it: large language models, or LLM’s. A year and a half ago, The Random Sample did an episode exploring the science behind ChatGPT and its groundbreaking use of LLM’s.  Fast forward to now, and the A-I landscape has already shifted dramatically. The pace of innovation is staggering. Today, we’re bringing back our guest from that previous episode. Simon Angus is a Professor in the Department of Economics at Monash University. Simon is also a Principal Investigator with SoDa Labs at Monash Business School, a research lab that applies new tools from data science and machine learning to answer social science questions. Simon will help us navigate what’s new, and what we should be thinking about as AI continues to reshape the world. Whether you’re new to AI and unsure where to start, or already exploring how it can transform your work or life, this episode has something for you. Understanding this transformative technology isn’t optional. It’s essential – and Simon is here to break it all down in a way that’s clear, approachable, and practical. Our host is Pranita Shrestha, a PhD Candidate at the Action Lab in the Faculty of Information Technology at Monash University. Episode webpage with links:  https://www.therandomsample.com.au/podcast/beyond-chatgpt-ai-landscape/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.