In February of this year, Mozilla launched the second call for Responsible Computing Challenge (RCC) applications in the United States. Today, we are proud to announce our esteemed judges for this quickly growing program in its second phase.
Launched in 2018 as the Responsible Computer Science Challenge (RCSC), this program aims to break down barriers between computing and other academic disciplines such as library and information sciences, social sciences, and a myriad of others. So far, over 50,000 students have taken the 100 distinct courses funded by RCC. These classes have been developed by 60 faculty members across 19 universities and colleges across the US.
Says Steven Azeka, Program Lead for the Responsible Computing Challenge:
“It is important that we move toward more intersectional technology education. For too long the industry has looked solely at those trained exclusively in computing. Having people who have also critically engaged with culture, society, and the humanities, for example, can help us imagine a different future. These four judges will be instrumental in selecting programs that are proactive about changing the way we teach technologists today.”
Says Atri Rudra, Responsible Computing Judge:
“Being part of the first Mozilla Responsible Computer Science cohort has been one of the most enriching experiences of my life. I'm looking forward to judging this next round of applications not only to be blown away by what I'm sure will be awesome proposals but also as a way to give back in my small way to the community that has given me so much.”
I'm looking forward to judging this next round of applications not only to be blown away by what I'm sure will be awesome proposals but also as a way to give back in my small way to the community that has given me so much.
Atri Rudra, Responsible Computing Judge
Supported by the Mellon Foundation, Omidyar Network, Schmidt Futures, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, and Mozilla, RCC has two funding tracks available.
Stacy Doore, Ph.D.
Dr Stacy A. Doore is the Clare Boothe Luce Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. She received her Ph.D. in Spatial Information Science and Engineering at the University of Maine in 2017. She is a co-creator of the Computing Ethics Narratives (CEN) project, an interdisciplinary, responsible computing open educational repository (OER) as a partnership between Bowdoin and Colby Colleges and funded by the first round of the Responsible Computing Challenge. She is a current member of the ACM Ethics in Computing Education Task Force. Stacy is the founder/director of the INSITE Lab, an emerging assistive technologies research lab that focuses on multisensory spatial information access in its many forms. Her current research employs emerging technologies including mixed reality, agile robotics, and artificial intelligence to improve spatial information access for exploring both indoor and outdoor environments and learning about complex images through accessible interfaces. She is a member of the Autonomous Vehicle Research (AVR) group which was recently awarded a national prize in the U.S. DOT Inclusive Design Challenge for building accessibility solutions into emerging AV systems.
José R. Lizárraga, Ph.D.
Dr. José R. Lizárraga is a Learning Scientist and multi-time Webby Award winner. As a researcher, he examines the role of media and emergent technologies in the learning, development, and speculative imagination of youth and adults. Lizárraga has developed culturally-sustaining curricula based on this expertise across multiple academic and public contexts. He has published his work in Human Development, Inside Higher Ed, Journal of the Learning Sciences, Mind, Culture, & Activity, Review of Research in Education, and Theory Into Practice. Lizárraga is a faculty member in Learning Sciences and Human Development and an affiliate in Information Science and LGBT Studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder. As a Senior Advisor at the Algorithmic Justice League, Lizárraga provides expertise on creative and innovative approaches to mass communications and public pedagogy. He is also a voting member of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences.
Atri Rudra, Ph.D.
Dr Atri Rudra is the Katherine Johnson Chair in Artificial Intelligence and a Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University at Buffalo, SUNY. Atri received his Ph.D. from the University of Washington in 2007. From 2000 to 2002, he was a Research Staff Member at IBM India Research Lab, New Delhi, India. His current research interests include structured linear algebra, issues at the intersection of society and computing, and database algorithms. He is a recipient of an NSF CAREER Award (2009), an HP Labs Innovation Research Award (2010), an ESA Best Paper Award (2010), a UB Exceptional Scholars-Young Investigator Award (2011), PODS Best Paper Awards (2012 and 2016), an IBM Faculty Award (2013), SIGMOD research highlights (2016), UB Exceptional Scholars-Sustained Achievement Award (2022), ACM PODS Alberto O. Mendelzon Test-of-Time Award (2022), and an ICML Outstanding Paper Runner Up Award (2022). He is a co-editor of the Mozilla Teaching Responsible Computing playbook and has received a UB Teaching Innovation award (2021) and a SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching (2022).
Tiffany D. Thomas, Ph.D.
Dr Tiffany D. Thomas serves as Program Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Community Development at Prairie View A&M, the only HBCU and institution with a graduate community development academic program in Texas. She teaches introduction to community development, community research, community politics, and cultural heritage and preservation.