Building Systems That Matter: An Ethical Framework for Data & AI
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We are excited to welcome David Schoeller-Diaz, USF Class of 2006 alumnus and global program leader, for a special session on practical ethics in data science and artificial intelligence. This talk complements our cohort’s ethics module and the USF Data Science Speaker Series.
Talk Description: Most ethical decisions in data science are not dramatic dilemmas. Rather, they are embedded in everyday choices about how we formulate problems, what we include or exclude from our data, and who bears the consequences of our models. In this interactive session, David will share a practitioner's framework for ethical reasoning drawn from 20 years of building data-driven systems in complex, high-stakes environments, from cybersecurity operations protecting hospitals and NGOs to geospatial intelligence analysis and data systems that informed a national peace process. The session will explore how these experiences connect to the ethical challenges data scientists face today: AI governance and accountability, the concentration of power in the AI ecosystem, and the question of how to build technology that serves broad human flourishing. Rather than treating ethics as a constraint on technical work, this talk argues that ethical judgment is a dimension of professional craft, making data scientists more effective, more trusted, and more durable in their careers. Expect an interactive format with live polls, real-world scenarios, and open discussion throughout.
About the Speaker: David Schoeller-Diaz is a global program leader and systems builder with 20 years of experience leading data-driven operations across humanitarian, security, and technology sectors. His career spans intelligence analysis for U.S. Southern Command, humanitarian information management with iMMAP and the United Nations, cybersecurity partnerships at the CyberPeace Institute, academic research at the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, and co-founding a social enterprise in Colombia. He holds a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School at Tufts University, an Executive Master in International Business from ESCP Business School, a PMP certification, an Executive Data Science Certificate from Johns Hopkins University, and a BA in Political Science from USF, where he was a McCarthy Fellow. David is based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
This talk is especially relevant for students interested in responsible artificial intelligence, trust and safety, policy, and governance.
We hope you can join us.
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