Absolutely Interdisciplinary Conference 2022
Absolutely Interdisciplinary 2022 was an academic conference hosted by the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society at the University of Toronto. The event aimed to foster interdisciplinary conversations among leading thinkers from various fields to address the challenges presented by artificial intelligence (AI) and other advanced technologies.
The conference covered a range of topics, including the redrawing of data boundaries, explanation and justification in AI, natural and artificial social learning, digital constitutionalism, collective agency in evolution and AI, and building democratic social choice into recommender systems. These sessions brought together experts to discuss the intersection of technology, law, and society.
Notable speakers included Lisa Austin, Boris Babic, Finale Doshi-Velez, Gillian Hadfield, Eric Horvitz, and Aziz Z. Huq, among others. The event provided opportunities for networking and collaboration among professionals from diverse disciplines.
The conference was designed for academics, researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals interested in the ethical and societal implications of AI and technology. Attendees gained insights into emerging research areas and engaged in discussions aimed at promoting human well-being through technological advancement.
Categories
Speakers(30)
Alexander Brechalov
Postdoctoral Fellow at Donnelly Center for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto
Alexander Brechalov is a postdoctoral fellow at the Donnelly Centre and the University of Toronto. He works at the intersection of molecular biology and machine learning, focusing on developing new methods to facilitate research in biology and medicine.
Alice Huang
PhD Candidate at Department of Philosophy, University of Toronto
Alice Huang is a PhD candidate interested in social and formal epistemology, as well as the application of computational methods to philosophical reasoning. She also enjoys thinking about metaphysics and consciousness.
Anna Su
Associate Professor, Faculty of Law; Faculty Fellow, Schwartz Reisman Institute at University of Toronto
Anna Su is an associate professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto and a Schwartz Reisman faculty fellow. Her research includes international human rights law, comparative constitutional law, technology and international law, and law and religion.
Aziz Z. Huq
Frank and Bernice J. Greenberg Professor of Law at University of Chicago
Aziz Z. Huq is a scholar of US and comparative constitutional law, and the Frank and Bernice J. Greenberg Professor of Law at the University of Chicago. His work spans topics from democratic backsliding to regulating AI, and he has an active pro bono practice.
Boris Babic
Assistant Professor, Department of Statistics and Department of Philosophy; Faculty Fellow, Schwartz Reisman Institute at University of Toronto
Boris Babic is an assistant professor in the Departments of Statistics and Philosophy at the University of Toronto, a faculty affiliate at the Schwartz Reisman Institute, and a visiting professor in the Decision Sciences department at INSEAD. His research interests include Bayesian inference, decision-making, and normative questions in the implementation of artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Denis Walsh
Professor, Department of Philosophy; Research Lead, Schwartz Reisman Institute at University of Toronto
Denis Walsh is a philosopher of biology in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Toronto and a research lead at the Schwartz Reisman Institute. His research interests revolve around the interpretation of evolutionary theory and the nature of scientific explanation.
Eric Horvitz
Chief Scientific Officer at Microsoft
Eric Horvitz serves as Microsoft's Chief Scientific Officer, providing leadership on advances and trends in scientific matters, and on issues at the intersection of technology, people, and society. He is recognized for his research on challenges and opportunities with uses of AI technologies amidst the complexities of the open world.
Erina Moon
Master of Information Candidate at Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
Erina Moon is a Master of Information candidate at the University of Toronto, researching within the interdisciplinary area of human-centered data science. She combines social sciences with computational techniques to study how computing can be used for social change in the public sector.
Finale Doshi-Velez
Gordon McKay Professor of Computer Science at Harvard University
Finale Doshi-Velez is a Gordon McKay Professor in Computer Science at the Harvard Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Her interests lie at the intersection of machine learning, healthcare, and interpretability. She has published widely, co-founded the Machine Learning for Healthcare Conference, and received an NSF Career Award and Sloan Fellowship.
Gillian K. Hadfield
Professor, Faculty of Law; Director and Chair, Schwartz Reisman Institute at University of Toronto
Gillian Hadfield is the director and chair of the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society, a professor of law and strategic management at the University of Toronto, and a senior policy advisor at OpenAI. Her research focuses on designing innovative legal and regulatory systems for AI and computational models of human normative systems.
Jennifer Nagel
Professor, Department of Philosophy; Faculty Affiliate, Schwartz Reisman Institute at University of Toronto
Jennifer Nagel is a professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Toronto and a faculty affiliate at the Schwartz Reisman Institute. Her research specializes in epistemology and philosophy of mind, focusing on intuitive impressions of knowledge and belief.
Jonathan Stray
Senior Scientist at Berkeley Center for Human-Compatible AI
Jonathan Stray is a senior scientist at the Berkeley Center for Human-Compatible AI, working on recommender systems. He has taught at Columbia Journalism School, led development of Workbench and Overview, and worked as an editor and writer for various publications.
Kamilah Ebrahim
Masters of Information Candidate at Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
Kamilah Ebrahim is a Masters of Information candidate at the University of Toronto, focusing on Human Centered Data Science. She has worked with various international organizations and is passionate about using data science to create explainable and transparent technical solutions.
Kate Larson
Professor, Department of Computer Science at University of Waterloo
Kate Larson is a professor in the Cheriton School of Computer Science at the University of Waterloo, holding a University Research Chair and the Pasupalak AI Fellowship. Her work focuses on the interaction of self-interested agents and developing approaches to computational issues in multiagent systems.
Kimberly Crasta
Graduate Student at Translational Research Program, LMP, University of Toronto
Kimberly Crasta is a graduate student at the University of Toronto, completing her Master of Health Sciences degree in Translational Research. She is passionate about patient-centered care and hopes to pursue a career in emergency medicine.
Lisa Austin
Professor, Faculty of Law; Chair in Law and Technology; Associate Director, Schwartz Reisman Institute at University of Toronto
Lisa Austin is a professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto, an associate director and research lead at the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society, and a co-founder of the IT3 Lab, focusing on interdisciplinary research on privacy and transparency in technology. Her work has been cited numerous times by Canadian courts, including the Supreme Court, and she is active in public policy debates.
Natasha Jaques
Senior Research Scientist at Google Brain
Natasha Jaques is a senior research scientist at Google Brain, focusing on social reinforcement learning in multi-agent and human-AI interactions. She completed her PhD at MIT, where her thesis received the Outstanding PhD Dissertation Award from the Association for the Advancement of Affective Computing.
Pamela Snively
Chief Data and Trust Officer at TELUS
Pamela Snively is Chief Data and Trust Officer at TELUS, leading the team responsible for data and privacy governance. She supports TELUS' commitment to integrity through initiatives including the Anti-Bribery & Corruption and Competition Law programs.
Peter Loewen
Professor, Department of Political Science; Director, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy; Associate Director, Schwartz Reisman Institute at University of Toronto
Peter Loewen is a professor of political science at the University of Toronto, director of the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, and an associate director at the Schwartz Reisman Institute. He is also the director of the Policy, Elections & Representation Lab and a senior fellow at Massey College.
Philippe-Andre9 Rodriguez
Deputy Director, Center for International Digital Policy at Global Affairs Canada
Philippe-Andr0e9 Rodriguez is the deputy director of the Center for International Digital Policy at Global Affairs Canada, and a professor of practice at McMaster University.
Philippe-André Rodriguez
Deputy Director, Center for International Digital Policy at Global Affairs Canada
Philippe-André Rodriguez is the deputy director of the Center for International Digital Policy at Global Affairs Canada and a professor of practice at McMaster University. He acts as the head of the Canadian Delegation on processes related to the global governance of digital technologies at various international organizations.
Radhika Prabhune
Master of Health Science Student at Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto
Radhika Prabhune is a Master of Health Science student in the Translational Research Program at the University of Toronto. She is part of a research team investigating the adaptation of AI in healthcare through a translational and patient-centered lens.
Randeep Nota
PhD Student at Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto
Randeep Nota is a PhD student focused on social justice in higher and adult education. She works as an educational developer, focusing on critical digital pedagogy, including course design consultations and workshops on innovative assessments and anti-racist pedagogies.
Richard Watson
Associate Professor, Institute for Life Sciences and Department of Computer Science at University of Southampton
Richard Watson is an associate professor in the Agents, Interaction and Complexity group at the University of Southampton's School of Electronics and Computer Science. His research seeks to deepen understanding of biological evolution by expanding the formal equivalence of learning and evolution.
Robert Seamans
Associate Professor, Stern School of Business at New York University
Robert Seamans is an associate professor at New York University's Stern School of Business, teaching courses in game theory and strategy. His research focuses on how firms use technology in their strategic interactions and the economic consequences of AI, robotics, and other advanced technologies.
Sai-Amrit Maharaj
Master of Health Science Student at Translational Research Program, LMP, University of Toronto
Sai-Amrit Maharaj is pursuing his Master’s of Health Science in Translational Research at the University of Toronto. He is interested in investigating the current state of health data exchange to improve patient care and hopes to pursue a career in family medicine.
Sheila McIlraith
Professor, Department of Computer Science; Associate Director, Schwartz Reisman Institute; CIFAR AI Chair at University of Toronto
Sheila McIlraith is a professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Toronto, CIFAR AI Chair, and an associate director at the Schwartz Reisman Institute. Her work focuses on AI sequential decision making through the lens of human-compatible AI.
Taylor Owen
Beaverbrook Chair in Media, Ethics and Communication; Director, Center for Media, Technology and Democracy at McGill University
Taylor Owen is the Beaverbrook Chair in Media, Ethics and Communications, founding director of the Center for Media, Technology and Democracy, and an associate professor in the Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University. He is the host of the Big Tech podcast and a senior fellow at the Center for International Governance Innovation.
Yisheng Li
PhD Candidate at Ted Rogers School of Management, Toronto Metropolitan University
Yisheng Li is pursuing a PhD in digital enterprise and social media at Toronto Metropolitan University. His primary research interest is in computational social sciences, investigating conspiracy theories on social media platforms through graph learning and natural language processing models.
Zihan (Ellis) Gao
Master of Health Science Student at Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto
Zihan Gao is a Master of Health Science student in the Translational Research Program at the University of Toronto. She is part of a research team investigating the adaptation of AI in healthcare through a translational and patient-centered lens.
Event Details
- Date
- September 15-16, 2022
- 2 days
- Location
- 🇨🇦 Toronto, Canada
- Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus, University of Toronto
- Audience
- Academics, researchers, policymakers, industry professionals