Center for Data, Ethics, and Society 

Marquette’s Center for Data, Ethics, and Society works to address the social and ethical dimensions of our increasingly data-driven society.

 

Grounded in the university’s Jesuit mission of social justice, the Center for Data, Ethics, and Society focuses on confronting the ethical consequences & controversies of our increasingly data-driven lives and spaces, including unfair algorithmic biases, the unequal impacts of computational decision-making, the privacy threats of ubiquitous surveillance systems, and corporate social responsibility and accountability. 

The Center takes up these concerns through an applied and interdisciplinary approach to research, pedagogy, and engagement with both impacted communities and relevant industries. The center is directed by Dr. Michael Zimmer.


Michael Zimmer Milwaukee Business JournalDr. Michael Zimmer was recently featured in the Milwaukee Business Journal as one of the “10 People to Know in Technology“, which highlighted the work we are doing at the Marquette Center for Data, Ethics, and Society.


Recent News and Activities

International Privacy Day Research Symposium

2023 Privacy Day - Dr. Jessica VitakThe Center celebrated International Privacy Day on January 30, 2023 with a research symposium focused on the privacy & security dimensions of smart homes and devices. Our keynote presentation was "Reimagining Data Collection and Use in the Age of Smart Devices", by Dr. Jessica Vitak (University of Maryland). 

Rome Call for AI Ethics

Zimmer at Global University Summit for Rome Call for AI Ethics

The Center for Data, Ethics, and Society recently participated in the Global University Summit for the Rome Call for AI Ethics, held on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. The summit was co-organized by the Pontifical Academy for Life, IBM, and Notre Dame and is hosted by the Notre Dame-IBM Technology Ethics Lab.

Data Collection for Internet Researchers under Data Protection Regimes

Data Collection for Internet Researchers under Data Protection Regimes

We recently were at Meta's office in Dublin, Ireland to host a discussion with internet researchers, platforms, and regulators on Data Collection for Internet Researchers under Data Protection Regimes.

Upcoming Event!

We're excited to join the Diederich College of Communication in welcoming Dr. Andrea Guzman to Marquette on April 27 for her talk "Should Machines Write About Death? Key Ethical Questions in the Expansion of AI into Journalism & Media Work". Details here.

The Center for Data, Ethics, and Society was profiled in the 2022 magazine for the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences. 

Dr. Michael Zimmer recently discussed security and extremism on social media and other Center activities on Wisconsin Public Radio. He also was recently quoted in The New York Times, Science, and The Washington Post.

Dr. Zimmer recently spoke on “Artificial Intelligence and the Consumer Marketplace” at the Presidential Summit of the National Association of Attorneys General.

Student Spotlight

Thomas Johnson presenting at ASC

  • Thomas Johnson, a recent graduate of Marquette's Criminal Justice Data Analytics Program, presented at the annual conference of the American Society of Criminology. Read his reflection on the experience here.