Mozilla’s Responsible Computing Challenge (RCC) joined student groups at San José State University.
Mozilla’s Responsible Computing Challenge (RCC) joined student groups at San José State University.
Mozilla strengthens its commitment to empower students at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) and train the next generation of technologists

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On February 11th and 12th, Mozilla’s Responsible Computing Challenge (RCC) joined student groups at San José State University (SJSU) to get on the ground and build student engagement in the responsible tech ecosystem. RCC emphasized its commitment to the inclusion and empowerment of MSIs and their local communities through two student-led events involving faculty, undergraduates, graduates, and middle school students and teachers.

On February 11th, members of the RCC team led a workshop on trustworthy AI with SJSU’s student organization, Science Extravaganza, at their annual event for middle school students drawn from surrounding communities. The workshop introduced middle schoolers to topics and activities around algorithmic bias in search engines, generative AI models, and their own “class superlative” classification algorithms. As students learned how to work with algorithm labels and weights, they critically reflected on the role of human bias in creating equitable and trustworthy AI systems.

Says Princess Vongchanh, Mozilla RCC’s Student Coordinator in the U.S.: “Empowering students of all ages with AI literacy is not just about exposing them to today’s technology, but ensuring they are equipped to shape it. Investing in youth in particular is critical for growing and strengthening the responsible tech ecosystem.”

Like Mozilla RCC’s recent Student Unhackathon, the workshop at SJSU formed part of a broader commitment to directly support student engagement in the responsible tech ecosystem. We are particularly committed to highlighting communities that have historically been excluded and underrepresented in the tech industry. Science Extravaganza (SE) is a completely student-led organization and joint chapter of Latinos in Science and Engineering and the Society of Latino Engineerings & Scientists (SOLES) at SJSU. The annual event with middle schoolers is SJSU’s largest student-led outreach initiative, and this year was its 25th anniversary!

Mozilla’s Responsible Computing Challenge (RCC) joined student groups at San José State University.
RCC at San José State University.

On February 12th, Mozilla grantees and community members spoke at an evening panel event hosted by a collective of SJSU student organizations, including SOLES, the Society for Women Engineers, Girls Who Code, the Black Alliance of Scientists and Engineers, and the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science. The panel, which featured RCC members and SJSU faculty, exposed students to various responsible computing-related career pathways and to courses, research, and networking opportunities unique to SJSU. Panelists included Dr. Ziyaad Bhorat (RCC Senior Fellow and Country Lead for the U.S. & South Africa), Dr. Nada Attar (Assistant Professor of Computer Science and RCC grantee at SJSU), and Dr. Katherine Harris (Professor of Literature & Digital Humanities and Director of Public Programming in the College of Humanities & the Arts at SJSU). The event was largely based on reported student need for more formal ways to engage with and develop community around responsible computing topics outside of the classroom. In this way, RCC continues to be a convener of multidisciplinary technologists both across and within college campuses.

Mozilla’s RCC work is supported by Craig Newmark Philanthropies, the Mellon Foundation, the Omidyar Network, Schmidt Futures, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and USAID.