When data is missing, it’s not just a technical glitch—it’s a story about power. In this talk, Alessandra Jungs de Almeida reveals how gaps in data shape our lives, from government accountability to community protection. Why do some numbers disappear? Who decides what gets counted—and what doesn’t? Through real-world examples, Alessandra shows how activists fight to uncover hidden truths, why some communities choose to keep data secret, and how these choices impact justice and equality. Join us for a thought-provoking conversation about the politics behind missing data and why it matters for all of us.

Alessandra Jungs de Almeida is a research affiliate at the Data + Feminism Lab (MIT) and at the Center for Gender Studies in Foreign Policy and International Politics (NEGPEI–UFSC). She is a collaborator in the Data Against Feminicide project. She holds a PhD in International Relations from the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Brazil, with a two-year doctoral period (2022-2024) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). From 2023 to 2025, she held the SHASS Diversity Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships in the MIT Women’s and Gender Studies Program. Her research focuses on sexual and reproductive rights and gender-related violence, adopting an interdisciplinary approach that bridges International Relations, Critical Data Studies, and Feminist and Gender Studies.