The Future of Computational Social Science is Black

Event, 14-25 June 2021
Dear Future Computational Social Scientist,

Do you have a drive to use social science, computer science, data analytics, and evidence to improve public well-being within underrepresented communities? From June 14, 2021 to June 25, 2021, Howard University and Mathematica are partnering on the first Summer Institute in Computational Social Science (SICSS) at a Historically Black College and University. 

SICSS-Howard/Mathematica invites both social scientists and data scientists (broadly conceived) who are graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and beginning faculty to apply for this *free* two week institute (and accompanying 2-day prep institute).  

SICSS-Howard/Mathematica is groundbreaking due to its location and sponsorship but also because our location has the added purpose of seeding and growing a depth of knowledge and appreciation for computational social science in underrepresented communities. Participants will benefit from opportunities and resources that are unique due to our (virtual) host, Howard University, our connection to the nation’s capital at a unique moment in our nation’s history, and given the generous support and deep engagement of Mathematica.

Our interactive and instructional program will involve lectures, group problem sets, and participant-led research projects. There will also be outside speakers who conduct and use computational social science research in a variety of settings, such as academia, industry, and government. Topics covered include text as data, website scraping, digital field experiments, non-probability sampling, mass collaboration, and ethics. There will be ample opportunities for students to discuss their ideas and research with the organizers, other participants, and visiting speakers. Because we are committed to open and reproducible research, all materials created by faculty and students for the Summer Institute will be released open source.

SICSS-Howard/Mathematica is available at no cost to participants thanks to Howard University and Mathematica.  SICSS-Howard/Mathematica is particularly committed to the participation of individuals from diverse backgrounds. As such, participants from underrepresented backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. Academically, we are looking for participants with a broad range of expertise, backgrounds in the social sciences, and interests-especially those with demonstrable interest in topics related to enhancing, developing or working on future projects that will address or intersect with issues of anti-Black racism and inequity.

For more information about SICSS-Howard/Mathematica and the application procedure, check out our website. Also follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and join our email list!
Sincerely,

Naniette H. Coleman, SICSS ‘19 alumna
SICSS-Howard/Mathematica Lead Organizer
PhD Candidate, Sociology University of California, Berkeley
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