David Lazer Archives

More than a quarter of U.S. residents (27 percent) “describe symptoms in a range that would be considered moderate or severe depression,” according to the report. Photo by iStock

Pandemic takes a toll on mental health of US residents, new national survey shows

As the country enters the fourth month of a “new normal” governed by public health guidelines to reduce the spread of COVID-19, a new survey by Northeastern and other researchers shows that more than a quarter of U.S. residents “describe symptoms in a range that would be considered moderate or severe depression,” according to the report.

by Molly Callahan June 16, 2020

Wearing gloves, a King County Election worker collects ballots from a drop box in the Washington state primary in Seattle in March. AP Photo by John Froschauer

A majority in the US supports making mail-in voting easier, new study shows

The results, which come as states across the country are planning for what could be a drastically different election in November, show that 60 percent of U.S. residents support making it easier to vote by mail.

by Molly Callahan and Laura Castañón May 28, 2020

According to a survey led by researchers from Northeastern, Harvard, Rutgers, and Northwestern universities, the vast majority (89 percent) of people surveyed oppose the immediate reopening of state economies—though the figure slid 5 percent from late April, when 94 percent of people opposed immediate reopening. AP Photo by Wilfredo Lee

New survey shows growing partisan divide in support for reopening the US

Even as states begin to reopen, a majority of U.S. residents oppose immediate measures. But that opposition is beginning to wane among Republicans, according to new results of a national survey led by researchers from Northeastern, Harvard, Rutgers, and Northwestern universities.

by Molly Callahan May 22, 2020

Twitter has banned political ads. Is Facebook next?

It was the announcement everyone wanted to hear from Mark Zuckerberg, but instead it came from Twitter’s chief executive officer Jack Dorsey: There will be no more political advertising. Don’t expect a similar announcement from Facebook, says David Lazer, University Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Computer and Information Sciences at Northeastern.

by Khalida Sarwari October 31, 2019

David Lazer, University Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Computer and Information Sciences, was recently named a 2019 Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration. Photo by Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University

At the intersection of technology and Democracy, you’ll find David Lazer

For years, Northeastern professor David Lazer has been studying the ways technology shapes Democracy in the United States. Things aren’t looking good, he says. But with his recent induction into the National Academy of Public Administration, he stands to help.

by Molly Callahan September 25, 2019

Northeastern researchers are working to determine how fake news ends up in the news feeds of Facebook users. Photo by Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University

How does fake news spread on Facebook?

Four Northeastern professors have been selected to receive access to closely guarded Facebook data that could shed light on how people share fake news on social media.

by Molly Callahan May 14, 2019

Graduates of the Class of 1964 fill the old Boston Garden for Commencement. Photo courtesy of Northeastern University Libraries, Archives, and Special Collections.

‘It was a memorable ending to four remarkable years’

Passing around a quart of iced tea to stay hydrated. Corralling a loose cat. Getting drenched by torrential rain. We asked five faculty members from across the university’s schools and colleges to reflect upon their commencement ceremonies.

by Molly Callahan May 1, 2019

Illustration by Hannah Moore/Northeastern University

It’s time to study machines the way we study humans

With intelligent machines doing more of our collective ‘thinking,’ it’s time for an interdisciplinary approach to understanding machine behavior, says a team of researchers that includes two Northeastern University professors.

by Molly Callahan April 24, 2019

Students, faculty, and a very special trustee alumni were celebrated at the Academic Honors Convocation Thursday at East Village. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

Northeastern’s highest achievements on display at the Academic Honors Convocation

Northeastern University on Thursday celebrated the achievements of more than 60 students, faculty, and alumni at the Academic Honors Convocation in East Village.

by Ian Thomsen April 18, 2019

David Lazer one of the authors of the paper, is University Distinguished Professor of political science and computer and information sciences at Northeastern.
Photo by Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University

American democracy is a dumpster fire. We can still save it.

Northeastern professor David Lazer’s work in pioneering the new discipline of computational social science using network analysis, computational modeling, and field experiments has earned him the prestigious Klein Lectureship and a University Distinguished Professor appointment.

by Khalida Sarwari April 12, 2019

David Lazer