{"id":4607,"date":"2025-02-19T01:39:56","date_gmt":"2025-02-19T01:39:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/groups.cs.umass.edu\/pit\/?page_id=4607"},"modified":"2025-04-17T17:44:44","modified_gmt":"2025-04-17T17:44:44","slug":"spring-2025-pit-events","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/groups.cs.umass.edu\/pit\/spring-2025-pit-events\/","title":{"rendered":"Spring 2025 PIT Events"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Does Representation Matter? Assessing how Representative Bureaucracy Shapes the Relationship Between Automation and Responsiveness to Public Service Requests<\/span>
<\/strong>With Gregory Porumbescu
<\/em><\/strong>April 28, 2025, 11:45 \u2013 1:15pm, Thompson 620<\/em><\/strong>
Registration Requested<\/span> Here<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>

Automated technologies in public service are often portrayed as replacing human discretion and jobs. Advocates argue that substituting technology for government workers can streamline public services and enhance transparency, while critics warn that removing human judgment may undermine responsiveness\u2014especially for clients needing personalized attention.<\/p>

Despite these debates, empirical research on how workforce demographics shape automation\u2019s adoption and outcomes remains limited. Noting this lack of evidence, we contend the job displacement narrative is overstated, suggesting instead that bureaucrats continue to play a vital role in service delivery\u2014even in automated contexts. Building on representative bureaucracy theory, we propose that demographic congruence between public employees and the communities they serve influences the implementation and outcomes of automated service request systems.<\/p>

To test this claim, we compiled a novel dataset of over a million service requests from five U.S. cities, merged with American Community Survey data and workforce demographic profiles obtained through FOI requests. Our findings show that representative bureaucracy significantly influences automation outcomes. In cities where workforces more closely reflect the public, government responses to underrepresented communities improve\u2014especially in neighborhoods with historically lower engagement. We also pinpoint a key mechanism: frontline workers actively leverage automated systems to advocate for their own communities\u2019 needs, a phenomenon amplified by workforce representation.<\/p>

Contrary to the idea that algorithms simply eliminate human discretion, our research shows automation transforms discretion\u2019s role and location in service delivery. In more representative workforces, frontline employees use automated systems to amplify representation of underserved communities. In less representative settings, these technologies often reinforce existing inequalities. We thus move beyond a narrow job replacement narrative to highlight how workforce diversity mediates technology\u2019s impact on service equity, reframing automation as a redistribution of tasks rather than a mere elimination of discretion.<\/p>

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Gregory A. Porumbescu (PhD, Seoul National University) is an associate professor in the Department of Public Administration and Policy at the University of Georgia\u2019s School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA). His research centers on understanding the implications of technology for government transparency and accountability. Dr. Porumbescu\u2019s work has been published in journals such as the\u00a0Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory<\/em>,\u00a0Public Administration Review, Governance<\/em>, and\u00a0Social Science & Medicine<\/em>. Prior to joining SPIA, Dr. Porumbescu served as an associate professor at Rutgers University\u2013Newark. There, he was a co-founding principal investigator for the New Jersey State Policy Lab, an initiative dedicated to enhancing evidence based policy making in state governments. During his time at Rutgers, he was also appointed to serve on the AI, Equity, and Literacy Working Group, contributing to Governor Phil Murphy\u2019s New Jersey AI task force. Dr. Porumbescu\u2019s research has been supported by organizations such as the National Science Foundation, Korean Research Foundation, and the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education.<\/p>

This event is sponsored by the Institute for Social Science Research and so-sponsored by the School of Public Policy.<\/i><\/em><\/p><\/div>

AI x Democracy Symposium<\/span>
<\/strong>April 23, 2025, 10:00 \u2013 3:00pm, <\/em><\/strong>LGRC Lowrise, A112<\/strong><\/em>
Registration Requested<\/span> Here<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>

One of the most debated topics surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) is whether AI technologies help or hinder the enactment and practice of important democratic processes.<\/p>

This\u00a0symposium brings together experts to share insights from their work exploring the intersection of AI and democracy. They will highlight areas of research and development working to create technological tools and approaches that truly advance democracy and democratic processes at local, national, and international levels. They will provide a case study that will help participants think creatively and critically about technology-enabled solutions to entrenched social problems.<\/p>

Breakfast and lunch will be provided.<\/p>

See the event website<\/a><\/b> for more information.<\/p>

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Sponsoring partners for this event include the Responsible Technology Coalition (RTC)<\/a><\/b>; the Community, Democracy, and Dialogue Initiative (CDD)<\/a><\/b>; Manning College of Information & Computer Sciences (CICS)<\/a> <\/b>; Public Interest Technology Initiative at UMass Amherst (PIT@UMass)<\/a><\/b>.<\/i><\/em><\/p><\/div>

Research at the Intersection of Technology, Diversity Science, and Health<\/span>
<\/span><\/strong><\/span>March 26, 2025, 11:00 \u2013 1:00am, Computer Science 150\/151<\/em><\/strong>
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Please join the Institute for Diversity Sciences<\/a> and the Public Interest Technology Initiative<\/a> at UMass for a collection of short research talks exploring the intersections of technology, diversity science, and health. Eat lunch, network with colleagues, and learn about faculty research exploring ways that technology can support or challenge human health and have uneven impacts on diverse individuals and groups. Featured speakers include:<\/div>