More Info
+ my interests
My research interests center around computing practices in social prediction systems, including:
- computational social science research
- government and public-interest technologies
- commercial A.I. tools
In particular, I'm thinking about the mathematical operationalization of social constructs, its limitations, and the factors that mediate this translation process— including measurement, power, and law.
I'm also interested in datafication and quantification in policy-making. Within this area, I am currently exploring state data collection practices, government procurement of algorithmic technologies, and the rise of "evidence-based policy" in academic public policy.
working papers
- Amina Abdu, Abigail Z. Jacobs & Irene Pasquetto. An Empirical Analysis of Racial Categories in the Algorithmic Fairness Literature.
publications (non-archival)
- Amina Abdu, Lauren Chambers, Abigail Z. Jacobs & Deirdre Mulligan. The Limits of (Algorithmic) Transparency: Lessons Learned from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Implementation of Differential Privacy. Data (Re)Makes the World Conference, Information Society Project at Yale Law School. Forthcoming 2023.
+ in a previous life...
I received my B.A. in mathematics and economics from Pomona College in Claremont, CA.
After graduating, I spent some time in academia doing empirical health economics research at the Harvard Kennedy School and then in tech policy working on antitrust advocacy at the Consumer Federation of America.
These experiences shaped my current interest in the role of computation in both social science scholarship and governance.
Recent Updates
- march 2023 - I am attending the Data (Re)Makes the World Conference in New Haven, CT. I will be presenting work on the Census Bureau's implementation of differential privacy (joint work with Lauren Chambers, Abigail Jacobs & Deirdre Mulligan).
- december 2022 - february 2023 - I am excited to join the Federation of American Scientists and Kapor Center's Racial Equity in Tech Policy Accelerator.
- november 2022 - I am attending CSCW's Critical Public Interest Tech Workshop.
- november 2022 - I am giving a guest lecture in SI 110: Introduction to Information about data science methods and ethics.
- june 2022 - I am attending the Doctoral Consortium at FAccT in Seoul.
- november 2021/february 2022 - I am participating in a workshop about Everyday Misinformation at UIUC
- august 2021 - I started my Ph.D. at UMSI!
