Technology Serving Humanity Speaker Series
As the world moves rapidly into an era promising massive hyper-disruptive change driven both by new technological innovations and the collapse of disciplines, the FedEx Institute of Technology of the University of Memphis is launching a new public lecture series focusing on the deeper underpinnings and impacts of this change on individuals and communities. This Technology Serving Humanity series will focus on the social, political, philosophical and humanistic considerations, rather than on technological aspects. The goal is to help our regional community understand and hopefully play an active role in navigating or shaping the expected disruptions and changes.
Leading international scholars in the social sciences, humanities, fine arts and non-technical disciplines have been invited to the University of Memphis to present a monthly public talk as part of the series founded the fall 2021.
Faculty across campus who would like to nominate a speaker with a national or international academic reputation are encouraged to contact Dr. Srikar Velichety assistant professor in Business Information and Technology, who is leading the 2023-24 series effort at svlchety@memphis.edu with suggestions.
Past Speakers
See who has visited the FedEx Institute of Technology, a collection of scholars and innovators from across the United States and abroad. These guest speakers offer profound insights and expertise in their respective fields. Explore their impactful contributions and delve into the wealth of knowledge they've shared with our campus community.
Professor of Supply Chain Management
Penn State University
"Redesigning Harvesting Processes and Improving Working Conditions in Agribusiness"
Assistant Professor at the College of Computing
Georgia Tech
"Hatred in Online Communities & the Ethics of AI"
Charles J. Dockendorff Endowed Chair Isenberg School of Management
University of Massachusetts Amherst
"Implementing Transparency in Machine Learning Applications"
Professor of Management in the Warrington College of Business
University of Florida
"Responsible AI: The Interplay between Algorithms, Data, People, and Policy"
Kingland Systems Faculty Fellow in Business Analytics; Associate Professor of Information Systems and Business Analytics, Ivy College of Business
Iowa State University
"Future of Work in the Age of AI"
Chair Professor, School of Creative Media
City University of Hong Kong
"Collective Intelligence in the Age of AI"
Professor and Chair, Department of Sociology
Tufts University
"Democracy and Digital Hate: The Price We Pay for Online Abuse and Harassment"
University Distinguished Research Professor of Philosophy and Psychology
University of Cincinnati
"Do smart devices make us less smart?"
Endowed Chair; Director of the Religion and Public Life Program
Rice University
"Understanding Interactions Between Religious and Scientific Communities to Increase Diversity in Science"
Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Science and Society
University of Ottawa
"Immaculate conception of data: agribusiness, activists and their shared politics of the future"
Distinguished Research Professor of Literature
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
"Data Storytelling and African American Poetry"
Associate Professor
Annenberg School for Communication
"Social and Algorithmic Choices in the Curation of Information"
Fletcher Jones Chair of Technology Design & Management, Center for Information Systems & Technology (CISAT)
Claremont Graduate University
"Innovating with AI for Social Good: Towards Human Flourishing and Artificial Consciousness"
Professor of Computer Information Systems
Bentley University
"Technology for Social Good"
Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Academic Co-Director, CARE-AI; Faculty Affiliate, One Health Institute
University of Guelph
"Persons or data points"
Associate Professor in Writing, Rhetoric, Digital Studies
University of Kentucky
"Gaming by another name: The Racialization of Play in the Digital Era"
Ford Professor of Political Science
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
"Platform Power"
Associate Professor of Communication Studies
Northwestern University
"Can we have an ethical internet?"
Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Philosophy; Director, Humanities Institute; Director, New England Humanities Consortium
University of Connecticut
"Social Media and Bald Face Lies"
Associate Professor of Philosophy; Director, Ethics, Artificial Intelligence & Big Data
Florida International University
"Egalitarian Machine Learning"
Professor of Philosophy and Decision Theory; Co-Director, Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
"Group Agency and Artificial Intelligence"
Professor of Law
American University Washington College of Law
"Surveillance and the Tvrant Test: How to Respond to the Threat of Big Data Policing"
Ernest A. Sharpe Centennial Professor
University of Texas at Austin
"Designing Artificial Intelligence for Racial Justice"