AAAI Diversity and Inclusion Committee
- Maria Gini, Chair (University of Minnesota, USA)
- Monica Anderson (University of Alabama, USA)
- Rogelio E. Cardona-Rivera (University of Utah, USA)
- Nate Derbinsky (Northeastern University, USA)
- Tawanna Dillahunt (University of Michigan, USA)
- Odest Chadwicke Jenkins (University of Michigan, USA)
- Melanie Moses (University of New Mexico, USA)
- Anita Raja (Hunter College, CUNY, USA)
- Shana K. Watters (University of Minnesota, USA)
AAAI Diversity and Inclusion Committee Activities
Participation in AI by groups that are underrepresented in computer science is a fraction of what is needed to have an AI workforce that reflects the diversity in society. Diversity has many facets, including races, ethnicities, genders, ages, religions, disabilities, sexual orientations, socioeconomic status, and cultural background.
Tapia Conference - http://tapiaconference.org
The AAAI Diversity and Inclusion program supports the annual Richard Tapia Conference, celebrating diversity in computing. We organize special sessions devoted to attracting participants to graduate programs and careers in AI.
In 2020, these included:
Research is for everyone!
Friday September 20, 2019 at the Tapia Conference
Organizers: Maria Gini (University of Minnesota), Monica Anderson (University of Alabama), Nate Derbinsky (Northeastern University) and Shana Watters (University of Minnesota)
A technical workshop is targeted to undergraduate students with the objective of exposing them to research and encouraging them to get engaged with research projects. The main objective is to show that research is doable, can be fun, and opens up many rewarding career opportunities. We will introduce students to exciting applications of computer science and to research opportunities.
Artificial Intelligence Research is for Everyone!
to be held at the 2020 Tapia conference
Organizers: Maria Gini (University of Minnesota), Monica Anderson (University of Alabama), Rogelio Cardona-Rivera (University of Utah), Nate Derbinsky (Northeastern University) and Shana Watters (University of Minnesota)
A technical workshop to introduce undergraduate students to many of the activities graduate students do and to what is expected from a researcher. The objective is to expose students to what research is and to show that research is doable, can be fun, and opens up many rewarding career opportunities. The explosive growth of Artificial Intelligence creates an unprecedented opportunity to broaden and diversify the population of researchers. Research in AI is exciting and has the potential to change the world.
The goal of the Tapia Conferences is to bring together undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, researchers, and professionals in computing from all backgrounds and ethnicities to:
- Celebrate the diversity that exists in computing;
- Connect with others with common backgrounds, ethnicities, disabilities, and gender so as to create communities that extend beyond the conference;
- Obtain advice from and make contacts with computing leaders in academia and industry;
- Be inspired by great presentations and conversations with leaders with common backgrounds.
Diversity and Inclusion Programs at the AAAI Conference
AAAI provides funds to support annual events for Black in AI and LatinX in AI groups at the AAAI conference.
The Thirty-Fourth AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence included several new programs specifically designed to address diversity and inclusion in the artificial intelligence community. A special Call for Proposals for Diversity and Inclusion Activities went out to the community, and AAAI provided funds to support some of the proposals. In addition to funds already committed to continue these programs each year, AAAI has pledged $30K per year to support scholarships for undergraduate participation at the conference, accompanied by a one-on-one mentoring program that will continue throughout the year.
Workshop on Diversity in AI:
Artificial Intelligence — Diversity, Belonging, Equity, and Inclusion: Mentoring Students from Underserved Populations
Friday, February 7
Organizer: William Hsu (Kansas State University)
Recognizing intrinsic links between students from underserved populations, the frequent incidence among these students of intersectional identity, and a desire to help their communities, this workshop will consist of presentations and a panel discussion on mentoring students from such populations — the challenges and opportunities. The primary objective is to discuss work at the nexus of inclusive AI education, education research pertinent to AI and underrepresented groups of students, and AI for Good as applicable to underserved students’ own communities, and to help share the word about efforts to serve such students.
AI — Its Purpose & Power. Humans — Our Purpose & Power
Saturday, February 8
Organizer: Tara Chklovski (Technovation)
A hands-on workshop for those of us who are new to AI. Technovation, a global technology education nonprofit and Cooper Union, will host an “Intro to AI” workshop for the broader public, and educators. The workshop will introduce the basics of AI and how to identify and address meaningful problems, aligned with the UN SDGs, using AI-based technologies. The workshop will conclude with real-world insights and strategies from young women who have used technology (mobile and AI) to address SDGs in their communities.
Try AI
Saturday, February 8,
City College of New York
sites.google.com/g.harvard.edu/tryai
Organizers: Elizabeth Bondi (Harvard University), Alexis Stokes (Harvard University), Isha Puri (Harvard University), Anika Puri (Horace Greeley High School)
This off-site activity is designed for high-school female students.
Undergraduate Workshop:
AI-Powered Robotics
Saturday, February 8: Hunter College. Sunday, February 9: American Museum of Natural History
bit.do/AAAI20-Outreach
Organizers David Touretzky (CMU), Roozbeh Aliabadi (ReadyAI LLC), Anita Raja (Hunter College)
Activity for undergraduates interested in AI and intelligent robots. On Saturday, participants will work in teams using Calypso and the Cozmo robot to build demos or games that illustrate how artificial intelligence can improve our lives. Then, on Sunday, they will host a free, open event where members of the public can experience their creations. Preregistration required.
Black in AI Lunch
https://blackinai.github.io
Sunday, February 9
Chair: Krystal Maughan (University of Vermont)
Black in AI was formed as a space for sharing ideas, collaborating and discussing initiatives to increase the presence of Black people in the field of Artificial Intelligence.
LatinX in AI Lunch
https://www.latinxinai.org
Monday, February 10
For reservation information, please see www.latinxinai.org/events.
Cochairs: Pablo Castro (Google), Laura Montoya (Accel.AI)
Women’s Mentoring Breakfast
Monday, February 10
Organizer: Maria Chang (IBM)
The gender gap in computer science has been well-documented. One way to make our field more inclusive toward women is to increase the visibility of mid- and advanced-career women in our field. The Women’s Mentoring Breakfast at AAAI-20 will give women students and early-career researchers the opportunity to meet women leaders in the field. Preregistration required.
DivinAI Hackfest: How Diverse are Top Artificial Intelligence Conferences?
Monday, February 10
divinai.org/hackFestNY20
Organizers: Ana Freire (Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Spain), Emilia Gómez (Joint Research Centre, European Commission)
The AI field is suffering a crisis of diversity, meaning that several minorities are underrepresented in the development of AI systems. This is particularly reflected in top AI confer- ences, where the lack of gender and cultural diversity is specially visible. This activity aims to raise awareness on this issue by gathering data from top conferences and calculating their corresponding diversity index, in terms of gender, geographical location and presence of academia versus industry.
Promoting Deaf Inclusion and Collaboration in Artificial Intelligence
Tuesday, February 11
Organizers: Prajwal Paudyal, Ayan Banerjee, Soukaina Lamrani, and Sandeep Gupta (Arizona State University)
An activity in which hearing participants of AAAI attempt to communicate specific computer science related topics to deaf participants using sign language. Hearing participants will be given a set of sentences they have to communicate to deaf participants. In order to learn the signs needed to communicate them, the activity will include several kiosks with an intelligent sign language tutor application called Learn2sign. After practicing the signs needed for communicating the sentences, the hearing participant will approach one deaf participant to practice their newly acquired American Sign Language skills and get feedback.
Mid-Career Diversity Tea and Cake
Tuesday, February 11
Organizers: Rosina Weber (Drexel University), Karen Myers (SRI International Artificial Intelligence Center)
The meeting will focus on issues pertinent to researchers at mid-career levels. It is targeted to mid-career members of underrepresented communities. Preregistration required.
Onsite Subsidized Childcare
AAAI provides fully subsidized childcare at its annual conference for children ages 6 months through 12 years. In addition, a private room is provided for young families and nursing mothers, as needed, throughout the conference. Children under 12 are welcome at all social events on a complimentary basis.
“AAAI Conference Scholars” Program
At diversity events at prior conferences, such as the Black in AI and LatinX in AI events, there was a clear articulation of the need for mentoring programs that break barriers to connect individuals with junior and senior AI researchers and go beyond conference activities.
The AAAI AAAI Conference Scholars program will award scholarships for increasing the diversity of undergraduate participation at the annual conference and their pursuit of careers in AI. Scholarship recipients will be assigned at least one mentor to engage them at the conference and throughout the rest of the year. They will also be mentored at the AAAI conference through events for professional development and connecting with junior and mid career faculty and researchers and connected with other students for peer support.
This program will seek candidates from Summer research programs (e.g. REU, DREU, iAAMCS, AccessComputing) and our outreach at the Tapia Conference for Diversity in Computing. The inaugural group of AAAI Conference Scholars will be selected in Fall 2020.