Designing Small Social Media
November 21, 2024, 4:00 – 6:00pm, Science and Engineering Library, Learning Studio
With Michael Sugarman, Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure, UMass Amherst.
Undergrads and Grads welcome. Please register here.
Throughout the history of the Internet, passionate hobbyists and layperson technologists have built software and run social spaces for communities and interest groups they belong to. Today’s reliance on large, centralized social media platforms runs against that norm, and many groups feel underserved by them. How can we return to a social Internet built and powered by everyday people, not mega-corporations and investment capital?
Michael Sugarman is developing social media software for community-centered music discovery backed by ethnographic and historical research, codesign methodologies, and research here at iDPI. During this workshop, he’ll introduce how codesign methodology and readily available open source software can be used to develop social media with and for the people who use it. The workshop will comprise a short introductory lecture, hands-on experience with user testing, and ample time for questions and answers.
Note: this will not be a workshop focused on any actual technology or code, but one focused on the “social” in social media.
Hosted by the Digital Public Infrastructure Initiative and Public Interest Technology at UMass and the UMass Amherst Libraries
What is Public Interest Technology? Opportunities, Challenges, and Insights for Graduate Students
November 21, 2024, 6:00 – 7:00pm, Hybrid – LGRC Lowrise Room A112 and Zoom.
With Colette Basiliere, Executive Director, PIT New England.
Please pre-register for the event here: https://forms.gle/3JMXujfqxCvaHZro9
Public Interest Technology (PIT) is a new field that focuses on the development and realization of socially responsible solutions to the challenges of a technology-driven world. It serves as a critical foundation for 21st century education for people who create technologies, and for those who work with them, which is all of us. PIT involves many disciplines from computer science to art, and promotes justice, dignity and autonomy for all – especially those most impacted by technology’s harms.
In this talk, UMass CICS graduate Colette Basiliere will give a presentation introducing Public Interest Technology and the challenges and opportunities facing this new field. She will also offer insights for students interested in pursuing PIT projects from her own experience going from a CICS graduate student to a research fellow in the PIT Initiative at UMass Amherst and the executive director of PIT-New England.
A zoom link will be provided to those who RSVP before the presentation. Pizza and other refreshments will be provided for in person attendees.
More information about PIT can be found here or on the PIT@UMass website here.
Hosted by the Responsible Technology Coalition, a grad student club.
Understanding How Visual Design and Natural Language Affects Trust and Perceived Bias in Machine Learning
October 21, 2024, 6:00 – 7:00pm, LGRC A311 and Zoom.
Please pre-register for the event here: https://forms.gle/imcDikSH8vsfgxxC8
Zoom link will be provided to those who RSVP before the presentation. Pizza and other refreshments will be provided for in person attendees.
Data-driven systems that use machine learning (ML) are becoming increasingly ubiquitous across high-impact domains such as healthcare, banking, hiring, and the criminal justice system. However, these systems often harbor biases, whether racial or gender based, which can undermine users’ trust in these systems as well as it’s underlying data. Existing work has demonstrated that visualization design can profoundly affect how people make sense of, draw inferences from, and make decisions using data. Designers can leverage the power of design to mitigate biases in such systems, identifying ethical compromises to inspire fair solutions. In the real world, designers use a combination of visual and textual annotations to augment their visualizations. These textual annotations are often natural language expressions, which can be vague, ambiguous, and subjective, leading to varying user interpretations.
In this talk, UMass CICS Graduate student Aimen Gaba will present the role natural language and visualization design play in shaping users’ perceptions of bias and impact their trust in ML systems. Her research aims to identify opportunities and manifestations for biases in data-driven systems and to inspire actionable guidelines for designing more transparent and trustworthy visualizations for ML systems that empower users to make more informed data-driven decisions.
Hosted by the Responsible Technology Coalition, a grad student club.
Kickstarting your PIT Project
October 17, 2024, 5:30 – 6:30pm, LGRC A104
With Colette Basiliere, Executive Director of Public Interest Technology New England
This workshop is designed to help students get started with Public Interest Technology (PIT) projects. We will explore how to identify and address societal issues through technology, emphasizing the importance of ethical considerations and community involvement in project planning. Participants will learn how to set clear goals, prioritize impact, and ensure their projects are sustainable and accountable.
Join us to gain valuable insights into the process of developing technology solutions that make a meaningful and positive impact on society.
Hosted by the Public Interest Technology Club
How to Work in an Interdisciplinary Team
October 8, 2024, 5:30 – 6:30pm, LGRC A104
With Emily Nutwell, PIT Pathways Director and Senior Lecturer, UMass Amherst
Join us and gain practical insights into building and thriving in diverse, inclusive teams! This interactive workshop will focus on understanding team dynamics and different working styles through **Business Chemistry**.
The workshop will begin with an exploration of what makes a team effective, followed by a discussion on participants’ personal experiences working in teams—both good and bad. Emily will then introduce **Business Chemistry**, a framework to help you identify your working style (Driver, Pioneer, Integrator, or Guardian), and guide you through forming well-balanced teams.
In small groups, participants will apply what they’ve learned by creating a team framework, identifying strengths and weaknesses, and planning how to foster an inclusive environment. The session will wrap up with presentations and reflections.
Don’t miss this opportunity to sharpen your teamwork skills and collaborate across disciplines!
Hosted by the Public Interest Technology Club
Responsible Technology Coalition Mixer
September 25, 2024, 6:00 – 7:00pm, LGRC A104
Join the Responsible Technology Coalition (RTC) for a social event to kick off the new school year. We will give a short presentation on our organization, goals for the year, and you can get involved. Enjoy free food (pizza and snacks) and games while learning about the RTC. We will provide board games and a Nintendo Switch with a selection of group games. Feel free to bring your own games as well, but please bring your own console.
Register using this form and to be entered into the RTC swag raffle!
Hosted by the Responsible Technology Coalition, a grad student club.
Ethan Zukerman vs Meta
September 24, 2024, 6:00 – 7:00pm, LGRC A104
With Ethan Zuckerman, Associate Professor of Public Policy, Communication and Information, UMass Amherst
Join us for an exciting club meeting featuring **Ethan Zuckerman** as he presents his experiences and insights regarding his legal actions against Meta. Discover the compelling story behind Ethan’s decision to take on one of the biggest tech giants and the implications of this legal battle for the future of technology and digital rights.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to hear directly from Ethan Zuckerman, ask your questions, and engage in a thought-provoking discussion!
Hosted by the Public Interest Technology Club
Promoting Inclusivity in AI/ML: Navigating Bias
September 19, 2024, 2:15 – 3:15pm, Campus Center 162
Understanding and addressing bias in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) is crucial to developing fair and inclusive technologies. This interactive session will cover the fundamentals of AI/ML and provide real-world examples of bias, especially its impact on BIPOC communities and other marginalized groups.
Participants will engage in hands-on activities and discussions to identify these biases and explore practical strategies to mitigate them, such as diverse data collection and ethical algorithm design. This workshop will foster critical conversations on creating more equitable technology environments, offering actionable insights for anyone interested in the ethical development and application of AI.
Hosted by the JEDI Conference
Health Tech for the People (HT4P) Fall 2024 Symposium
September 18, 2024, 9:00am – 12:00pm, LSL N610 or Online via Zoom
Register at https://bit.ly/HT4PFall24
This event features HT4P Student Fellow Presentations & Expert Panel Discussion on Health Technology Futures. Food Provided.
AGENDA
9am-915am: Welcome & Introductions
915-1030am: Health Technology Futures: Building for Health Justice, A Conversation featuring Thomas Goetz & Ethan Zuckerman
1030am-1045am: Inspiration & Reflection
1045am-1145am: HT4P Student and Postdoctoral Fellow Presentations
1145am-12pm: Closing Remarks
Hosted by the IALS Center for Personalized Health Monitoring
Discover Public Interest Technology
September 11, 2024, 5:30 – 6:30pm, LGRC A104
With Francine Berman, Director of Public Interest Technology and Stuart Rice Honorary Research Professor, and Emily Nutwell, PIT Pathways Director and Senior Lecturer, Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences.
The event will kick off with Professor Berman introducing Public Interest Technology, covering the CICS 127 course, the undergraduate PIT certificate, and the PIT initiative at UMass. Following that, Professor Emily Nutwell will share details about a new class she plans to offer next semester. We’ll wrap up with a casual mixer, where you can enjoy food and drinks while chatting with fellow attendees, Professors Berman and Nutwell.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from leaders in the field, network with like-minded peers, and discover ways to get involved in tech for social good!
Hosted by the Public Interest Technology Club