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Events

PNC Technology for Social Change series

“We need people designing technologies for society to have training and an education on the histories of marginalized people, at a minimum, and we need them working alongside people with rigorous training and preparation from the social sciences and humanities.” Safiya Umoja Noble.

With this talk series, sponsored by PNC Bank, the School of Computing and Information highlights the importance of understanding how computing and information technology can be designed, implemented, and incorporated to support positive change in our communities. With the thought-provoking talks and open conversations, we welcome new ways to challenge our scholarly efforts to embrace positive changes around us. We are delighted to kick start the series with three wonderful scholars who approach this challenge from different angles.

All the talks will be organized in an in-person format. A recording of the talk (upon agreement of the speaker) will be made available to the SCI community. We hope to see many of you at these talks, in-person or virtually. If you are interested to give a talk in future series, please contact our Associate Dean for DEI (rfarzan@pitt.edu).

 Upcoming Talks

Designing to Disrupt in Computing: Why We All Should “Color Outside the Lines” 

Dr. Nicki Washington, Professor of the Practice of Computer Science and Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies, Duke University
Director, Cultural Competence in Computing (3C) Fellows program
Director,  Alliance for Identity-Inclusive Computing Education (AiiCE)
Friday, February 9, 2024 | 9:30 - 11 a.m.
130 North Bellefiled, Large Conference Room

Abstract: Several events over the last few years have led to a watershed moment in computing, where more focus is shifting to the impacts of technologies on identities that are marginalized based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, ability, and/or socioeconomic status. While these perspectives are new to some, for others, they reflect long-standing, personal experiences not only as technology consumers, but also technology creators navigating academic and professional environments.
 
Successfully addressing and preventing technological harm to the most marginalized communities requires successfully addressing and preventing the harm those same communities experience in computing classrooms and organizations. This demands a paradigm shift in not only what is considered computing knowledge, but also who is considered a knowledge producer.
 
This talk discusses the importance of technology disruption from the lens of people, policies, and practices in computing environments, including why computing doesn’t exist in a vacuum, how they impact technical innovation, and what we all can do to create and advocate for more disruption in spaces we navigate.

Bio: Dr. Nicki Washington is a professor of the practice of computer science and gender, sexuality, and feminist studies at Duke University and the author of Unapologetically Dope: Lessons for Black Women and Girls on Surviving and Thriving in the Tech Field. She is currently the director of the Cultural Competence in Computing (3C) Fellows program and the NSF-funded Alliance for Identity-Inclusive Computing Education (AiiCE). She also serves as senior personnel for the NSF-funded Athena Institute for Artificial Intelligence (AI). Her career in higher education began at Howard University as the first Black female faculty member in the Department of Computer Science. Her professional experience also includes Winthrop University, The Aerospace Corporation, and IBM. She is a graduate of Johnson C. Smith University (B.S., ‘00) and North Carolina State University (M.S., ’02; Ph.D., ’05), becoming the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in computer science at the university and 2019 Computer Science Hall of Fame Inductee. She is a native of Durham, NC.

RSVP here.

Upcoming Events

Eaton Mocktails with WiCS
Sunday, Jan. 28 , 2024 | 7:00 p.m.
130 N. Bellefield
Note: This event is limited to members of Women in Computer Science (WiCS). 

She Innovates
Friday, Jan. 26 through Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024 
Sign up here.

AEO Headshot Day
Friday, Jan. 26, 2024 | 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
AEO Offices in South Side
This event is open to sophomores and juniors. SIgn up here.

CGI Diversity Expo Day
Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024
This event will include mock interviews, resume reviews, LinkedIn reviews and a networking lunch. More details to come.

Female and Non-Binary Technologists Networking with SCI Partners
Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024 | 10:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m.
WPU Dining Rooms
For employers, this is open to members of the SCI Partnership Program and members of the Career Center Panther Program. 
Sign up for students: https://pitt.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4Z3LttYf8lD4Beu

Past Talks

2023

2022

2021