On Tuesday March 30, 2021, Jevin West and Carl Bergstrom of the University of Washington, co-authors of "Calling BullshIt: The Art of Skepticism in a Digital World", delivered the Anthony B. Evnin Lecture, virtually.

The spread of misinformation is among the most pressing challenges of our time. New platforms for human interaction and information sharing have opened the door to misinformation, disinformation and other forms of networked manipulation, which not only mislead and create divisions, but also diminish trust in democratic institutions such as science. Drawing on a deep well of expertise in data science, Dr. West and Dr. Bergstrom provide examples of selection bias and muddled data visualization, distinguish between correlation and causation, and examine the susceptibility of science to modern misinformation.

The Evnin Lectures were established with a gift from Anthony B. Evnin '62 to promote a broader and deeper understanding of the critical roles of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in all aspects of human endeavor. Since 1991, the Council on Science and Technology has invited luminaries in the fields of STEM and science communication to explore topics of interest to a broad audience.