News

In spring 2023, UMass Amherst will be offering a new Public Interest Technology Class, Introduction to Public Interest Technology (CICS 290P).  The course focuses on social responsibility in a tech-powered world and introduces core concepts of Public Interest Technology.  Available to all students, the course will provide an overview of what is public interest technology, its impact and promotional strategies.  Course lectures will be given by Public Interest Technologist and Professor Fran Berman, a diverse group of instructors from across the UMass campus and potential guest lecturers, all coordinated to introduce students to the emerging field of Public Interest Technology.This is an experimental course, taught on Mondays and Wednesdays.  It will also be offered in the fall.  Learn more about the course offering and consider sharing with students who may have an interest.   Envelope

New America, a non-profit organization whose mission is to address the challenges and embrace the opportunities caused by rapid technological and social change, announced the award of $2.3 million to the University of Massachusetts Amherst and 17 universities and colleges in the Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN) during its PIT-UN annual convening in New York City held earlier this month. The funding will support projects aimed at  accelerating inclusion, diversity and equity in technology development.   The UMass Amherst award will support a project in the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences and the College of Humanities & Fine Arts that will design and implement an informatics data science course, co-located and integrated with the curriculum of the Poggio Civitate Archaeological Field School, Italy. Emphasizing cultural awareness and social responsibility, Principal Investigator Michelle Trim,…

CICS EQUATE and the Public Interest Technology Initiative (PIT@UMass)  are launching a “Tech in the News” series to talk about timely topics and the technology behind them.  This series is designed to give all of us a chance to talk about the ways that tech impacts society, why, and what we can do about it.  The first session will take place on November 8, 2022, from 1:00-2:30 pm and focus on the recent release of a “Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights” from the White House Office of Science and Technology (see also Lawfare and Wired), as well as a recent incident demonstrating the challenges of content moderation.  Speakers will be Professors Przemek Grabowicz and Brian Levine and Professor Fran Berman will moderate the discussion.  Come listen, discuss, ask questions, and engage in a fascinating discussion of the challenges and opportunities of tech in today’s world. Please note that the event will include candid discussion of child…

Join Kathy Pham (Founding member of the United States Digital Service) and Francine Berman (Director of the Public Interest Technology Initiative at UMass) as they discuss ethical technology, public service and more. Date: October 26, 2022 Host: Responsible Technology Coalition (RTC) Event Type: RemoteTime: 4:00- 5:00 pmLocation: Remote / Register in the Join RTC! tab of the RTC website to receive the link About the RTC The RTC is an interdisciplinary organization of students who are committed to seeing that technology is ethical and accountable. Through collaborating with people from diverse industries and backgrounds, the group comes together to emphasize the impact that technology can have on society. The coalition is dedicated to the advancement of dialogue, policy, and practice around responsible technology at UMass and society at large. For more information, visit https://sites.google.com/view/responsibletech/home?authuser=0   Envelope

Have you ever been frustrated because you find it difficult to disconnect from your smartphone and email? Do you wonder how companies are using your data or about biases in artificial intelligence algorithms that shape decisions that affect you, ranging from mortgage rates to medical triage? Information technologies are now public goods – everyone uses them and/or is affected by them in both good and bad ways. Join us for a panel that takes a look at how we can adopt a socially responsible approach towards technologies of everyday use to both advance business goals and promote public interests.Date: October 21, 2022 Event Type: In-person/PanelTime: 10:30 am -12:00 pmLocation: Isenberg School of Management, Room N135Lunch will be providedPanelists:Harvey Ashman, Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for IQVIA, USAChris Flack, Co-Founder, UnPlug, DublinDr. Lindsey Zuloaga,…

The Responsible Technology Coalition (RTC), a new UMass Amherst graduate student organization, and the Public Interest Technology Initiative at UMass (PIT@UMass), welcomed Julia Angwin this past month in a candid and compelling conversation about data, journalism and the Internet.  Julia is a Pulitzer-prize winner and founder and editor-in-chief of the Markup, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates how powerful institutions are using technology to change our society. Created with the goal of furthering collaboration between technologists and journalists, the Markup integrates computation, data collection, statistical analysis, and automation in its journalistic activities.   Facilitated by Ethan Zuckerman (UMass Associate Professor and PIT@UMass Co-founder and Research Director), Julia shared approaches she uses in many of her investigations and addressed the effectiveness of technical literacy and partnerships between technologists, domain experts and journalists.  Additional topics covered include public media…