Biography:
Joy Adowaa Buolamwini is a Ghanaian-American-Canadian computer scientist and digital activist based at the MIT Media Lab. She is widely recognized for her work in challenging bias in decision-making software and advocating for the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI). Buolamwini founded the Algorithmic Justice League, an organization that uses art, advocacy, and research to raise awareness of the social implications and harms of AI.
Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Buolamwini spent her childhood in Mississippi and attended Cordova High School. At a young age, she was captivated by Kismet, the MIT robot, which sparked her interest in coding. Self-taught in XHTML, JavaScript, and PHP, she quickly developed a passion for programming. Additionally, Buolamwini excelled as a competitive pole vaulter.
Buolamwini pursued her undergraduate studies in computer science at the Georgia Institute of Technology. During this time, she focused on health informatics research. Buolamwini attained her Stamps President’s Scholar distinction upon graduating from Georgia Tech in 2012. Notably, she was also the youngest finalist of the Georgia Tech InVenture Prize in 2009.
Continuing her academic journey, Buolamwini became a Rhodes Scholar, a Fulbright fellow, a Stamps Scholar, an Astronaut Scholar, and an Anita Borg Institute scholar. As a Rhodes Scholar, she studied learning and technology at the University of Oxford, affiliated with Jesus College. During her scholarship, Buolamwini actively participated in community-oriented projects as part of the inaugural formal Service Year.
In 2017, Buolamwini earned a Master’s Degree in Media Arts & Sciences from MIT, supervised by Ethan Zuckerman. She went on to complete her PhD degree in Media Arts & Sciences from the MIT Media Lab in 2022. Her doctoral research focused on addressing the biases and challenges posed by facial recognition technology in her thesis titled Facing the Coded Gaze with Evocative Audits and Algorithmic Audits.
Throughout her career, Buolamwini has made significant contributions to research and activism. She collaborated with the Carter Center’s trachoma program in 2011, developing an Android-based assessment system for use in Ethiopia. Furthermore, as a Fulbright fellow in 2013, she worked with local computer scientists in Zambia, empowering Zambian youth to become technology creators.
Buolamwini’s work at the MIT Media Lab centers around identifying bias in algorithms and advocating for accountability during their design. She is a member of Ethan Zuckerman’s Center for Civic Media group and has focused her research on facial recognition systems. In her pivotal project, Gender Shades, Buolamwini evaluated the accuracy disparities in commercial gender classification software. Her findings revealed significant challenges faced by dark-skinned women in being correctly identified by these systems.
The impact of Buolamwini’s research was profound. Her influential 2018 paper, Gender Shades: Intersectional Accuracy Disparities in Commercial Gender Classification, prompted swift action from major tech companies such as IBM and Microsoft, leading them to improve the accuracy of their software. Buolamwini’s dedication to addressing bias and improving the inclusivity of AI has resulted in increased awareness and efforts to rectify these issues within the technology industry.
Buolamwini’s commitment to promoting ethical AI and challenging bias has positioned her as a leading figure in the field. Through her creative approach to combining art, advocacy, and research, she continues to make significant contributions to the ongoing dialogue about algorithmic fairness and the ethical implications of AI.
Awards:
– Rhodes Scholar
– Fulbright fellow
– Stamps Scholar
– Astronaut Scholar
– Anita Borg Institute scholar
– Youngest finalist of the Georgia Tech InVenture Prize in 2009