Working Groups
MD4SG working groups bring together academic researchers from various disciplines to tackle problems in real-world application domains through online working groups. These groups work towards research, implementation, and advocacy projects throughout the year. Notes from the original reading group can be found here.
If you are interested in being involved or pitching problems to these working groups in any of the domains below, please contact Bryan Wilder at bryan.wilder0@gmail.com.
Developing Nations
Organized by Tejumade Afonja (Saarland) and Chinasa Okolo (Cornell)
We are a group of academic researchers working on understanding and tackling issues pertaining to the role and application of technology in addressing challenges in emerging nations or under-resourced settings.
Environment and Climate
Organized by Wanyi Li (Stanford) and Lily Xu (Harvard)
We study how computational methods can help address environmental challenges, particularly those that exacerbate the climate crisis.
Algorithms, Law, and Policy
Organized by Rediet Abebe (Harvard), and Duncan McElfresh (University of Maryland)
Some of the topics the group will work on include but are not limited to free speech, content moderation, antitrust, the use of “black box” machine learning models, data-driven algorithms, and decision-support tools.
Data Economies
Organized by George Obaido (UJ, Wits), Abeba Birhane (UCD) and Roya Pakzad (Taraaz)
The data economies and data markets working group aims to better understand the challenges that arise across the data pipeline from creation, ownership, accessibility, and sharing to data analysis and use.
Global Perspectives on Inequality
Organized by Sam Taggart (Oberlin)
We study how computational methods can either address or exacerbate inequality, both globally and for vulnerable populations in the United States.
Civic Participation
Organized by Paul Gölz (CMU) and Anson Kahng (CMU)
We study the mathematical theory of civic participation, focusing on novel modes of democratic decision making that complement traditional elections.
Asia-Pacific
Organized by Matthew Olckers (Monash)
The Asia-Pacific group covers a range of topics, with meetings scheduled for participants in these time zones.
Discrimination and Equality in Algorithmic Decision-making
Organized by Faidra Monachou (Stanford), and Jessica Finocchiaro ( University of Colorado - Boulder)
Description coming soon!
Latin America and Caribbean
Organized by Francisco Marmolejo (University of Oxford), Michelle González Amador (UNU-MERIT), Mariajose Silva-Vargas (UNU-MERIT), and Juan Felipe Penagos (Fundación Ceiba)
Major themes include: migration (especially the Venezuelan diaspora), crime (with a focus on youth crime), and education (integrating/engaging at risk youth in educational systems).
Photos by Duangphorn Wiriya ; rawfilm; and rawpixel on Unsplash