Announcement

Data & Society Welcomes

Dr. Suresh Venkatasubramanian to its Board of Directors

October 19, 2022 — Data & Society (D&S) is pleased to announce that Dr. Suresh Venkatasubramanian, a professor of data science and computer science at Brown University and deputy director of Brown’s Data Science Initiative, has joined its board of directors. Venkatasubramanian is a computer scientist and expert in the societal impact of automated decision-making. He recently concluded a 15-month appointment as an advisor to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, where he co-authored its landmark Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights.

Venkatasubramanian’s appointment to Data & Society’s board raises the number of board members to seven.

“I’m delighted to join the board of Data and Society,” said Venkatasubramanian. “I have always admired the work of D&S in bringing together distinct disciplines like empirical research and network and policy engagement to create the broad, transdisciplinary discussions needed to ensure that future data-centric technologies are grounded in equity and human dignity.”

Prior to Brown University, Venkatasubramanian was the John and Marva Warnock Assistant Professor at the University of Utah, where he received a CAREER award from the National Science Foundation for his work on the geometry of probability. A founding member of the FAccT conference, Venkatasubramanian is a former board member of the ACLU in Utah, and a past member of the Computing Research Association’s Computing Community Consortium Council, New York City’s Failure to Appear Tool Research Advisory Council, the research advisory council for the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania, and the Utah state auditor’s Commission on Protecting Privacy and preventing Discrimination. Venkatasubramanian earned his Ph.D. from Stanford University.

“Suresh is a stellar researcher, educator, and leader on issues of ​​algorithmic fairness and the impact of automated decision-making systems,” said Charlton McIlwain, president of the board. “Our board of directors, and Data & Society as a whole, will benefit immeasurably from his knowledge and experience, and his deep understanding of what it takes to put equity and opportunity at the center of the governance of automated systems.”

“Suresh’s role in creating the Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights is only the latest example of his leadership and influence in shaping AI governance in the public interest,” said Janet Haven, executive director of Data & Society. “His career exemplifies his commitment to making sure that technology is developed and used in ways that protect people’s rights and opportunities, and I have no doubt that his insights will enrich our work.”

The board of directors is responsible for overseeing D&S’s organizational integrity and strategic direction, providing financial oversight, and guiding its leadership, among other responsibilities. The board’s members are leaders who have dedicated themselves to safeguarding civil liberties and addressing greater social inequities.

Learn about the other members of our board.

About Data & Society

Data & Society is an independent nonprofit research organization, studying the social implications of data-centric technologies and automation. We recognize that the same innovative technologies that may benefit society can also be abused to invade privacy, provide new tools of discrimination, foreclose opportunity, and harm individuals and communities. Through original research and inclusive engagement, we work to ensure that empirical evidence and respect for human dignity guide how technology is developed and governed.