Social Sciences D-Lab Celebrates a Decade of Innovation and Welcomes New Leadership
On November 8, 2023, the Social Sciences D-Lab at the University of California, Berkeley, marked a significant milestone in its journey, celebrating its 10th anniversary with the introduction of a new era under the leadership of Demography Professor Dennis Feehan. The event also served as a platform to extend heartfelt thanks to the outgoing faculty director, Sociology Professor Dave Harding, for his remarkable tenure. Social Sciences Dean, Raka Ray, offered warm congratulations to the leadership and staff, underscoring the importance of promoting equity in computational social sciences and the support of qualitative methods research. Dean Ray also expressed gratitude to Claudia von Vacano for her continued leadership as Executive Director of the D-Lab.
Left to right: Deputy Director Aaron Culich, Executive Director Claudia von Vacano, Outgoing Faculty Director David Harding, Dean Raka Ray, Incoming Faculty Director Dennis Feehan, Professor Oscar Dubon
Professor Dave Harding, who has been at the helm since 2017, played a pivotal role in integrating societal considerations into data science. His tenure saw the launch of impactful initiatives like the NSF IUSE Data Science at Scale, the NIH Computational Social Sciences Training Program, and the NSF Research Training program in Computational Research for Equity in the Legal System. Under Professor Harding’s guidance, the D-Lab not only provided exceptional computational social sciences methods training but also developed a unique research infrastructure benefiting a diverse range of scholars across campus.
D-Lab Faculty Director Dennis Feehan, Professor Dave Harding, Larissa Benjamin, D-Lab Staff Finley Golightly, Data Services Manager Renee Starowicz
The incoming faculty director, Professor Dennis Feehan, has a rich background in social networks, demography, and quantitative methods. His groundbreaking work in sampling techniques addresses the challenges of reaching undercounted populations in traditional social science data. Feehan's innovative approaches have been instrumental in understanding population health in regions lacking vital registration systems. He has embarked on collaborative efforts with Facebook on online survey sampling strategies and has received prestigious awards like the Hellman Fellows Award and the American Sociological Association Outstanding Article Award. The D-Lab is thrilled to welcome him as Faculty Director.
History Professor Cathryn Carson: Ethical Leadership in Data Science
In addition to the leadership transition, the D-Lab also honored its founding faculty director, History Professor Cathryn Carson. Her vision and leadership were fundamental in establishing the D-Lab. Carson's extensive involvement in various data science organizations and her leadership in the Human Technology Futures group and the Human Contexts and Ethics program highlight her commitment to ethical data science practices.
Data Services Manager Renee Starowicz, Academic Program Manager Severin Saenz, Professor Oscar Dubon, Professor Cathryn Carson, and Senior Data Science Fellow Renata Barreto
The D-Lab's decade-long journey has been marked by numerous achievements, including the establishment of the Data Science Fellows program, DH minor and certificate program, the Data Science for Social Justice Program, and the Measuring Hate Speech Project, that expanded to include Data for Health Equity research. These initiatives, along with the support of the Berkeley Institute for Data Science (BIDS) and funding from organizations like Google Jigsaw, have significantly contributed to the field. D-Lab has played a crucial role in methodological innovation by integrating Item Response Theory with Deep Learning. This fusion enables us to address biases and improve transparency in AI model development. Additionally, D-Lab has made a noteworthy contribution by exploring Queer AI and adopting a critical stance towards the social media landscape that removed Not Fit for Work content, leading to a significant purge of LGBTQ content from Tumblr.
As the D-Lab steps into its next decade, the community is invited to engage with its ongoing efforts and achievements through its news and blog platforms, continuing to foster a vibrant intellectual environment.
Data Science Fellows Top: Academic Program Manager Severin Saenz, Lecturer and Data Scientist Tom van Nuenen, Tonya D. Lindsey (computer), Senior Data Scientist Pratik Sachdeva, Mingfeng Xue, Firuzan Melike Sümertaş, Leïla Njee Bugha, Farnam Mohebi, Maria Martin Lopez, Kamya Yadav. Middle: Leah Lee, Lauren Liao, Sharon Green, Emma Turtelboom, Alex Ramiller, Senior Data Science Fellow Jose Martin Aveldanes. Bottom: Deputy Director Aaron Culich, D-Lab Staff Finley Golightly, Executive Director Claudia von Vacano, Anna Björklund