Announcing the Initial Group of USF CADE Data Ethics Research Scholars
Ali Alkhatib, Razvan Amironesei, and Nana Young, renowned experts in their respective fields, have been announced as Data Ethics Research Fellows at the University of San Francisco. The year-long, full-time fellowships aim to foster interdisciplinary research on responsible AI, data governance, and technology for social good.
Ali Alkhatib, a social computing researcher with a background in Computer Science and Anthropology, is recognised for his work at the intersection of technology, society, and ethics. His research typically examines how technology design can shape social and political outcomes, with a particular interest in participatory and justice-oriented approaches to data systems.
Razvan Amironesei, a philosopher and ethicist, is known for his work on the ethics of emerging technologies, especially artificial intelligence. He has contributed to interdisciplinary projects on technology, democracy, and human rights. Amironesei’s research explores the ethical implications of AI and data-driven technologies, with an emphasis on transparency, accountability, and the intersection of policy and ethics.
Nana Young, with expertise in legal studies, philosophy, or social science related to technology, might focus her work on data rights, the ethical use of surveillance technologies, or the impact of data governance on marginalized communities.
In addition to their academic achievements, these researchers bring a wealth of experience to the fellowship. Alkhatib's paper "Examining Crowd Work and Gig Work Through The Historical Lens of Piecework" won honorable mention at CHI 2017, while his more recent paper "Street-Level Algorithms: A Theory at the Gaps Between Policy and Decisions" won the best paper award in 2019 at the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems.
Young has a background in global health bioethics and has worked on strategic initiatives at a non-profit to promote and implement policy and health systems solutions for various global health issues. She also helped design a course on race, genomics, emerging technologies, and society at Duke University.
Amironesei has taught various undergraduate and graduate level courses in political philosophy and ethics at universities and has organized events on the political and ethical dimensions of algorithms at various universities, receiving three grants over his 8 years with UCSD for these initiatives. He was most recently a visiting scholar in the Department of Philosophy at the University of California, San Diego, and his Ph.D. dissertation in philosophy focused on the relationship between biopower and the concept of life, with a sociological and theoretical analysis of Human-computer interaction technologies, particularly brain surveillance.
The University of San Francisco's Data Ethics Research Fellowship is an exciting opportunity for these researchers to delve deeper into their respective areas of interest and contribute to the ongoing conversation about responsible AI and technology for social good.
- Ali Alkhatib, with a background in Computer Science and Anthropology, will likely conduct research on the ethical implications of technology design, focusing on how it shapes social and political outcomes, particularly in participatory and justice-oriented data systems.
- Razvan Amironesei, a philosopher and ethicist, will examine the ethical implications of artificial intelligence and data-driven technologies, emphasizing transparency, accountability, and the intersection of policy and ethics.
- Nana Young, an expert in legal studies, philosophy, or social science related to technology, may focus her work on data rights, the ethical use of surveillance technologies, or the impact of data governance on marginalized communities.
- The University's Data Ethics Research Fellowship coincides with the educational and self-development domain, offering Ali Alkhatib, Razvan Amironesei, and Nana Young the chance to expand their knowledge and contribute to the field of artificial intelligence, data ethics, and technology for social good, through teaching courses, publishing papers, and organizing events.
