News

Have you heard of RTC? The Responsible Tech Coalition (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, we will come 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. We will start these difficult conversations by hosting events like speakers, book clubs, hackathons, and open forums which will in turn create a network within UMass that cares deeply about responsible applications of technology.  If you have a passion for responsible tech or want to learn more, we would love to welcome you to our community! Our space is welcome to all students (graduates and undergraduates), staff, and…

The next event in the “Tech in the News” event series takes place Tuesday, December 6 from 1:00 - 2:30 pm.  Hosted by CICS EQUATE and the Public Interest Technology Initiative (PIT@UMass),  this series focuses on the technology implications behind various topics in the news.  In this next event, our speakers will be Professors Ethan Zuckerman and Hamed Zamani, who will exchange perspectives on events and transitions taking place within social media.   Professor Fran Berman will moderate the discussion.  Recent articles in the news, which will be referenced during the discussion, include:How TikTok ate the internetThe Washington PostHey Elon: Let Me Help You Speed Run The Content Moderation Learning CurveTechdirtAll are welcome to attend and join the conversation!Date: December 6, 2022 Host: EQUATE and PIT@UMassEvent Type: In personTime: 1:00- 2:30 pmLocation: CICS 150/151Lunch will be served.Please…

This program helps bring diverse young talent to government and offers students the opportunity to apply their educational training to work at a federal agency. Actively recruiting its summer 2023 cohort, students from across all academic disciplines are encouraged to apply. Selected participants in the program will receive:   A 10-12 week summer internship at the Department of Commerce, the Department of Transportation, the General Services Administration, the Small Business Administration or the Department of Housing and Urban Development. $4,000 to cover stipend and other expenses. Professional development sessions, including orientation and networking events throughout the summer. The deadline for applications is November 27, 2022. Learn more.  Envelope

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…