Analytics Frontiers Conference Announces 2020 Keynote Speaker

UNC Charlotte’s School of Data Science is thrilled to announce Ruha Benjamin, Associate Professor of African American studies at Princeton University, as a keynote speaker at the sixth annual Analytics Frontiers Conference on March 25, 2020, at the Ritz-Carlton in Charlotte, NC.

Analytics Frontiers is a one-day event hosted by UNC Charlotte’s School of Data Science and sponsored by Bank of America. As the largest data science event in the southeast, the conference connects C-level executives, top data scientists, researchers, entrepreneurs, and government leaders to share ideas, network, and advance the region as a leading technology hub.

“I’m looking forward to Analytics Frontiers because speaking with data scientists, machine learning practitioners, and others in the field of AI has been extremely rewarding for me,” Benjamin said. “This is an exciting opportunity to build a bridge from the social sciences to the data sciences so we can put our minds together to address the issues of discriminatory design.”

Benjamin’s presentation, “BEYOND BUZZWORDS: Reimagining the Default Settings of Technology & Society,” will focus on the design processes of technology, and the adverse impacts on different groups within society.

“Many of the professionals who design complex, automated decision systems or work in the fields of AI and machine learning are not fully aware of the history and sociology that shapes the design process,” Benjamin said. “I’m looking forward to a discussion about what goes into the creation of particular technologies, so we can start to address the adverse impacts of these systems on different groups.”

As a professor of African American studies, Benjamin has studied the social dimensions of science, technology, and medicine for more than 15 years, and speaks globally on issues of innovation, equity, health, and justice. She serves on several executive committees and is the recipient of many awards and honors, including the 2017 President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching at Princeton.

The Analytics Frontiers Conference will take place on March 25th, at the Ritz-Carlton Charlotte. For more information about the conference and for more ways to become involved with Analytics Frontiers, click here.