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AI and Society Fellowship

Launched in April 2023, the Artificial Intelligence and Society Fellowship at Arizona State University’s School for the Future of Innovation in Society, in collaboration with the New York Academy of Sciences, was developed to address the growing need for interdisciplinary scholarship across the areas of AI, the social sciences, and the humanities. This postdoctoral training program aims to develop thought leaders, research scholars, and public figures equipped to drive innovation around AI and its uses in advancing public interest in society.

Fellows are mentored by faculty from ASU’s College of Global Futures, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, and other units; participate in internships with public, private, and non-profit partners; and professional development training and service-learning through the New York Academy of Sciences’ specialized programming. Fellows’ time is shared among the New York Academy of Sciences, Arizona State University, and internship sites.

The inaugural fellows

Akuadasuo Ezenyilimba

PhD, Arizona State University, The Polytechnic School; Human Systems Engineering

A recent Human Systems Engineering PhD graduate from Arizona State University, Akuadasuo’s academic background consists of a Bachelor's in Psychology, a Master's in Applied Psychology, and a Master's in Human Systems Engineering. As a National Science Foundation Research Trainee, Akuadasuo has experience working on citizen-centered solutions for real-world problems. Currently, she is researching the relationship between human-computer interaction and traumatic brain injury (TBI), executive function, and TBI rehabilitation.

Nitin Verma

PhD, University of Texas at Austin, School of Information

Nitin’s overarching research interest is in studying the relationship between the human drive for creating technologies and how human technologies and societies co-shape each other. At the core, he is interested in studying the mechanisms of interpersonal trust that make large communities cohere and how technologies (esp. ICTs) such as deep learning-infused AI influence the mechanisms of trust. Nitin's doctoral dissertation research investigated the notion of public trust in video in light of the emergence of deepfake technology

Marjorie Xie

PhD, Columbia University Medical Center, Center for Theoretical Neuroscience

Marjorie’s work combines AI, mental health, and education. She interned at Basis Research Institute, where she built AI tools for reasoning about collaborative intelligence in animals, and completed her PhD in Neurobiology & Behavior at Columbia University, where she used AI tools to build interpretable models of neural systems in the brain.

Our goal is to create a powerhouse of trainees, mentors, ideas, and resources to develop the next generation of AI researchers poised to produce ethical, humanistic AI applications and promote these emerging technologies for the public interest

David H. Guston Foundation Professor, Founding Director, and Associate Vice Provost for Discovery, Engagement and Outcomes, School for the Future of Innovation in Society

AI now permeates every facet of our society. The technology holds extraordinary promise. It is crucial that researchers have the training and capacity to bring an ethical perspective to its application, to ensure it is used for the betterment of society.

Nicholas Dirks President and CEO, New York Academy of Sciences

About the New York Academy of Sciences

The New York Academy of Sciences is an independent, not-for-profit organization that since 1817 has been committed to advancing science for the benefit of society. With more than 20,000 Members in 100 countries, the Academy advances scientific and technical knowledge, addresses global challenges with science-based solutions, and sponsors a wide variety of educational initiatives at all levels for STEM and STEM-related fields. These include prestigious science awards programs. The Academy hosts programs and publishes content in the life and physical sciences, the social sciences, nutrition, artificial intelligence, computer science, and sustainability. The Academy also provides professional and educational resources for researchers across all phases of their careers.

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Contact us

David H. Guston

Faculty Director

Ernesto L. Abeytia

Project Coordinator

Mailing address:

Rob and Melani Walton Center for Planetary Health

777 E. University Dr.

Tempe, AZ 85287-2404