Lecture highlights the importance of analyzing and creating statistical data.

ESEG College, part of the Etapa Group, hosted Carlos Eduardo Freire, director of the Center for Data Science for Public Statistics (CCDEP), for a lecture on the importance of producing and interpreting statistical data in making important societal decisions. 

Held in the Main Hall of ESEG, Freire addressed the topic "Challenges in the production and analysis of public statistics," where it was possible to understand that all information is constructed through the analysis and interpretation of statistical data.

With 23 years of experience, Carlos is the director of CCDEP, a research institute that is part of SEADE, an organization responsible for the regular production of statistics and demographic, economic, and social analyses about the state of São Paulo. SEADE is responsible for projecting statistical data for information, calculating the city's GDP, creating social and demographic indicators, among other duties.

“"Today I came to share some of my experience and inform the students about the field, to motivate them to work not only with data, but also in the areas of statistics and social economics," the speaker said before the event began. 

The guest gave a brief explanation of how statistics work in his field, through primary data collection, done manually for years with interviews and forms, and how in the digital age it faces challenges such as the large volume of data, with high frequency and diversity, obstacles that can be overcome with the help of technologies and Artificial Intelligence, leaving aside manual labor. 

He explained that data is collected through records, which create information called statistical products. To be used in research and development, these products undergo several processes, such as checking the quality of the information, its consistency, accuracy, and interpretability.

With the data at hand, public agencies, city halls, and similar entities can use this information to plan and make important decisions that impact society, such as creating new subway and train stations based on population density, knowing the average age of a part of the city to create new hospitals, knowing the number of cars on important avenues to build new roads and highways, among others.

Carlos also spoke about the current scenario and how technology can help in capturing and creating data indicators. "We have new computational tools, new data records, and this brings a great possibility of producing new indicators, whether for public policies or companies," the director emphasized.

Finally, the speaker opened a question and answer session to address all the audience's doubts, allowing for fluid interaction with those engaged in the topic. Fillipe Batista, a Computer Engineering student, shared his experience attending the lecture: “Today's lecture discussed the difficulties of working with statistics and data, and how this helps to control areas such as health and economics. It was a very enriching experience, and I could see how to apply this knowledge to my Computer Engineering course, expanding my repertoire and helping me go further in my professional career,” said the student.

The Lecture Series continues to reaffirm ESEG College's commitment to developing leadership and preparing individuals for the corporate world, broadening horizons to aspire to stand out in the market.