Ryan Briggs
@ryancbriggs.net
Raising kids & bread & grant money. Cleaning data & diapers & fish. EA (bed nets, not light cone). Social scientist. typos. twitter.com/ryancbriggs
Yeah, and it can sit in the fridge for days ahead
February 9, 2026 at 11:19 AM
Yeah, and it can sit in the fridge for days ahead
I made little pandan crème brûlées. If you’re okay with a more rustic look, you cannot beat the ease and consistency of doing them sous vide in mason jars.
February 9, 2026 at 12:25 AM
I made little pandan crème brûlées. If you’re okay with a more rustic look, you cannot beat the ease and consistency of doing them sous vide in mason jars.
Thank you! I must have this paper done by February 16, but our plan is to post it on Feb 11. I'm so excited to share it.
January 28, 2026 at 5:04 PM
Thank you! I must have this paper done by February 16, but our plan is to post it on Feb 11. I'm so excited to share it.
ah I see. Yes, I agree with that. It's also still "too low" given our best guesses as to typical power and the extent to which we examine real effects, but it's so much better than everywhere else.
January 28, 2026 at 5:02 PM
ah I see. Yes, I agree with that. It's also still "too low" given our best guesses as to typical power and the extent to which we examine real effects, but it's so much better than everywhere else.
I think they also get credit there. They have created a place where people know null results can be published. More journals share have done this but for the most part did not.
January 28, 2026 at 4:55 PM
I think they also get credit there. They have created a place where people know null results can be published. More journals share have done this but for the most part did not.
Finish up a paper guesstimating selection on significance across all journals in political science and the Journal of Experimental Political Science does not get nearly enough credit. They've created the best institution in the discipline for publishing unbiased research.
January 28, 2026 at 4:45 PM
Finish up a paper guesstimating selection on significance across all journals in political science and the Journal of Experimental Political Science does not get nearly enough credit. They've created the best institution in the discipline for publishing unbiased research.
Reposted by Ryan Briggs
Causal inference nuts: Radiolab has a great podcast this week about the pitfalls of using correlational evidence in policymaking.
The empirical case is the self-esteem movement of the 1980s.
Would be a good listen for those who teach causal inference.
The empirical case is the self-esteem movement of the 1980s.
Would be a good listen for those who teach causal inference.
January 25, 2026 at 10:15 PM
Causal inference nuts: Radiolab has a great podcast this week about the pitfalls of using correlational evidence in policymaking.
The empirical case is the self-esteem movement of the 1980s.
Would be a good listen for those who teach causal inference.
The empirical case is the self-esteem movement of the 1980s.
Would be a good listen for those who teach causal inference.
Crazy snowstorm means throwing the kids outside with cookie rewards
January 25, 2026 at 9:52 PM
Crazy snowstorm means throwing the kids outside with cookie rewards
Reposted by Ryan Briggs
We're hard at work on new AI tools for RStudio that will support EDA and we hope generally accelerate data science. If you're interested in trying them out, join the private beta waitlist for a sneak peek: posit.co/products/ai/ #rstats
Interested in using AI in RStudio? Let us know.
We’re working hard to bring more AI capabilities to RStudio. If you’re interested in learning more about what’s coming, including early access to help test new capabilities, join our waitlist.
https://posit.co/products/ai/"
January 21, 2026 at 4:52 PM
We're hard at work on new AI tools for RStudio that will support EDA and we hope generally accelerate data science. If you're interested in trying them out, join the private beta waitlist for a sneak peek: posit.co/products/ai/ #rstats
Reposted by Ryan Briggs
blog post: Total Margin of Error
margin of error = 2 x (reported margin of error)
and how much of this error is "bias" vs "variance" ?
margin of error = 2 x (reported margin of error)
and how much of this error is "bias" vs "variance" ?
January 21, 2026 at 4:36 PM
blog post: Total Margin of Error
margin of error = 2 x (reported margin of error)
and how much of this error is "bias" vs "variance" ?
margin of error = 2 x (reported margin of error)
and how much of this error is "bias" vs "variance" ?
Reposted by Ryan Briggs
NEW PAPER! We know that lead exposure is bad, but where is it all coming from?
We show that used lead-acid battery recycling is likely much more important than previously thought - perhaps 1/3 of exposure in LMICs.
LINK: www.cgdev.org/publication/...
w/ @theomitchell1.bsky.social & James Hu
We show that used lead-acid battery recycling is likely much more important than previously thought - perhaps 1/3 of exposure in LMICs.
LINK: www.cgdev.org/publication/...
w/ @theomitchell1.bsky.social & James Hu
January 21, 2026 at 10:49 AM
NEW PAPER! We know that lead exposure is bad, but where is it all coming from?
We show that used lead-acid battery recycling is likely much more important than previously thought - perhaps 1/3 of exposure in LMICs.
LINK: www.cgdev.org/publication/...
w/ @theomitchell1.bsky.social & James Hu
We show that used lead-acid battery recycling is likely much more important than previously thought - perhaps 1/3 of exposure in LMICs.
LINK: www.cgdev.org/publication/...
w/ @theomitchell1.bsky.social & James Hu
Waterloo: snow day
Wilfred Laurier: snow day
McMaster: snow day
Guelph:
Wilfred Laurier: snow day
McMaster: snow day
Guelph:
a close up of a cartoon character from the movie frozen saying `` the cold never bothered me anyway '' .
Alt: a close up of a cartoon character from the movie frozen saying `` the cold never bothered me anyway '' .
media.tenor.com
January 15, 2026 at 1:25 PM
Waterloo: snow day
Wilfred Laurier: snow day
McMaster: snow day
Guelph:
Wilfred Laurier: snow day
McMaster: snow day
Guelph:
Thank you! I land at SFO at 1pm and eventually need to sleep near Stanford, so I’m just looking for 2 good meals roughly in this area
January 15, 2026 at 11:44 AM
Thank you! I land at SFO at 1pm and eventually need to sleep near Stanford, so I’m just looking for 2 good meals roughly in this area
I’ll be in Oakland a few days later and yes this looks great! Thank you!
January 15, 2026 at 1:58 AM
I’ll be in Oakland a few days later and yes this looks great! Thank you!
On Feb 16 I have a spare evening around the SF to Palo Alto area. Where should I eat?
January 15, 2026 at 1:37 AM
On Feb 16 I have a spare evening around the SF to Palo Alto area. Where should I eat?
Reposted by Ryan Briggs
I just finished a three-year term as an editor at an international relations journal. I began at the start of the LLM era but ended right in the middle of it. Our volume of submissions tripled and our desk reject rate rose to 75%. I have some thoughts.
open.substack.com/pub/hegemon/...
open.substack.com/pub/hegemon/...
The Age of Academic Slop is Upon Us
what happens when AI automates "normal science"?
open.substack.com
January 13, 2026 at 3:38 PM
I just finished a three-year term as an editor at an international relations journal. I began at the start of the LLM era but ended right in the middle of it. Our volume of submissions tripled and our desk reject rate rose to 75%. I have some thoughts.
open.substack.com/pub/hegemon/...
open.substack.com/pub/hegemon/...
100%
I have an erg in my house. in the time it would take to get to the gym, park, and set stuff in the locker room, I've finished a modest workout and watched an episode of a show. thus, I can exercise every day with less friction and barriers.
January 7, 2026 at 5:57 PM
100%
Reposted by Ryan Briggs
Working with big spatial data sets in #rstats? You should try {duckspatial}. The dev version of #duckspatial (soon on CRAN) uses #duckdb to perform super fast and memory efficient spatial operations cidree.github.io/duckspatial/...
In a benchmark against, {sf}....
In a benchmark against, {sf}....
December 30, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Working with big spatial data sets in #rstats? You should try {duckspatial}. The dev version of #duckspatial (soon on CRAN) uses #duckdb to perform super fast and memory efficient spatial operations cidree.github.io/duckspatial/...
In a benchmark against, {sf}....
In a benchmark against, {sf}....
If you get jacked and your clothes stop fitting then just be happy?
December 28, 2025 at 5:40 PM
If you get jacked and your clothes stop fitting then just be happy?
Reposted by Ryan Briggs
Some news: we're committing $175m to @GiveWell in 2026, growing our >$1B committed to date.
Based on GiveWell’s estimates, we think this funding has saved >100,000 lives so far. 🧵
coefficientgiving.org/research/al...
Based on GiveWell’s estimates, we think this funding has saved >100,000 lives so far. 🧵
coefficientgiving.org/research/al...
Allocating $175M to GiveWell’s Recommendations for 2026 | Coefficient Giving
This post lays out why we've chosen to renew our support for GiveWell’s recommendations; we think it's an outstanding resource and we’re proud to support the organizations it has identified.
coefficientgiving.org
December 18, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Some news: we're committing $175m to @GiveWell in 2026, growing our >$1B committed to date.
Based on GiveWell’s estimates, we think this funding has saved >100,000 lives so far. 🧵
coefficientgiving.org/research/al...
Based on GiveWell’s estimates, we think this funding has saved >100,000 lives so far. 🧵
coefficientgiving.org/research/al...
Reposted by Ryan Briggs
My latest: Contrary to popular perception, American antisemitism is not primarily a partisan problem—it is a generational one. "The research collectively suggests that America is becoming more anti-Semitic because its young people are becoming more anti-Semitic." Gift link:
‘The More I’m Around Young People, the More Panicked I Am’
Anti-Jewish prejudice isn’t a partisan divide—it’s a generational one.
www.theatlantic.com
December 15, 2025 at 9:26 PM
My latest: Contrary to popular perception, American antisemitism is not primarily a partisan problem—it is a generational one. "The research collectively suggests that America is becoming more anti-Semitic because its young people are becoming more anti-Semitic." Gift link:
Reposted by Ryan Briggs
I can’t get past this. The (imperfect) analogy in my head comes from living in Rio: you’re always in a state of soft alert, which becomes a permanent background noise to life, bc you know that, even if low probability, very bad things could happen at any moment, and you must know how to respond.
I promise if you’re not Jewish and don’t know any Jews quite well you really do not understand the level of justified paranoia baked into most public Jewish gatherings: Security at swimming lessons at the JCC, off duty police outside a bar mitzvah as a favour, etc. It shocked me.
Synagogues were safe until they weren’t. JCC were safe until they weren’t. Public beaches, public parks…risk is something I think about every single time I take my family to school, pray, exist as Jews
December 14, 2025 at 5:26 PM
I can’t get past this. The (imperfect) analogy in my head comes from living in Rio: you’re always in a state of soft alert, which becomes a permanent background noise to life, bc you know that, even if low probability, very bad things could happen at any moment, and you must know how to respond.