On Thursday, April 3, 2025, the UW Tech Policy Lab, which hosts Society + Technology at UW, brought Dr. Alondra Nelson to campus for the annual Distinguished Lecture, drawing a crowd of over 350 to Kane Hall in Seattle, Washington.
Nelson, the former Acting Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, focused her remarks on “algorithmic agnotology,” which is the strategic manufacture of ignorance at scale. She identified how artificial intelligence technologies, when administered through large corporations, follow the pattern of other examples of agnotology, namely the tobacco and fossil fuel industries’ efforts to sow doubt and unknowing among the population.
Nelson suggested that companies create knowledge asymmetries that reinforce their power while evading accountability. Deliberate opacity has profound implications for democratic governance and digital rights, she said.
She urged the audience to design policies that confront the systemic nature of doubt, rather than accepting the unknown, and as inevitable.
Over a dozen audience members lined up to ask questions after the lecture.
“I’m especially interested in how we can […] actively redistribute power and understanding to users,” said Cherry Roy, a UW graduate student pursuing a Master’s of Science in Technology Innovation, who attended the lecture and found the parallels between Big Pharma and AI thought-provoking.
The lecture continued to spark conversations in classes and labs afterwards.
“I have heard so many students and other faculty glow about the talk,” said Tech Policy Lab Co-Director Tadayoshi Kohno. “Several students have now added ‘agnotology’ to their active vocabulary during project meetings.”
Vice Provost Mari Ostendorf opened the event with remarks about the importance of interdisciplinarity, and Kohno introduced Nelson, whose career spans academia and public service. Presently, Nelson is the Harold F. Linder Professor at the Institute for Advanced Study, where she leads the Science, Technology, and Social Values Lab. In 2023, she was named to the inaugural TIME100 list of the most influential people in AI and recognized by Nature as one of the “Ten People Who Shaped Science.”
This article is cross-posted with the Tech Policy Lab.
Society + Technology at UW has partnered with the University of Washington’s Global Innovation Exchange (GIX) to offer a master’s-level course in the Master of Science in Technology Innovation program (MSTI 522): TheHistory and Future of Technology: Responsible Technological Innovation.
GIX is a joint initiative between the UW College of Engineering and the Foster School of Business. The 18-month graduate program in technology innovation emphasizes practical, challenge-based learning across engineering, business, and design, and is housed in UW’s outpost in Bellevue.
The Instructor of Record, Monika Sengul-Jones, Ph.D., Director of Strategy and Operations for Society + Technology at UW, centers the interdisciplinary field of Science and Technology Studies (STS) to explore the historical, social, and cultural dimensions of technological innovation. STS approaches consider technology and innovation as socio-technical and cultural accomplishments that are both informed by and inform social structures of power. Throughout the course, students will cultivate responsible sensibilities as stewards of the social and societal impacts of emerging technologies.
As part of the collaboration with Society + Technology at UW, GIX students will also learn from the tri-campus, cutting-edge network of scholars affiliated with the initiative. Five experts will deliver guest lectures on the relationship between technology and society to this cohort of master’s students. The speaker series also includes a seasoned GIX lecturer who works at SAP to offer insights on responsibility and inclusiveness in enterprise software products. Dina Chawla, a graduate student in the Department of Human Centered Design and Engineering at UW Seattle, supports the class as a Reader/Grader.
Since 2017, this course has been developed and led by Linda Wagner, David Ribes, and Amanda Menking. In its current iteration, Past and Future of Technology is not only a keystone learning experience for GIX students to explore the historical, philosophical, and cultural foundations of innovation and technology, it is also an unparalleled opportunity to learn from UW’s extensive network of scholars working at this vital intersection.
Topic: AI Agents and Responsibilities Title: Second Voice, First Person: AI Surrogates and Digital Doppelgangers
Muhammad Aurangzeb Ahmad is a Research Scientist at the University of Washington’s Harborview Medical Center and an Affiliate Assistant Professor in the Division of Computing and Software Systems at the University of Washington, Bothell. He earned his Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Minnesota. His research focuses on artificial intelligence, algorithmic nudging (using algorithms to change human behavior), and personality emulation (software that can act like humans). Ahmad thinks extensively about the social, cultural, and ethical impact of AI and machine learning. His research has been covered by PBS and Discover Magazine. He’s spoken on a panel for the United Nations and in other venues.
Topic: Inclusion and Responsibility in Enterprise Software UX Research
Ellie Kemery is Principal AI User Research Lead for SAP Business AI and is a frequent guest speaker at GIX. Her work seeks to establish a culture of ethical research and design practices across SAP in a way that proactively informs the way teams build intelligent product experiences that all people love. She has worked with or for companies and organizations including Microsoft, IxDA, Design in Public, and Brooks Running. She has a degree from the UW’s Foster School of Business in Human Behavior and Entrepreneurship.
Katy E. Pearce is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Washington and holds affiliations with the Ellison Center for Russian, East European, and Central Asian Studies and the Center for an Informed Public. She is an expert in social and political uses of technologies and digital content in the transitioning democracies and semi-authoritarian states of the South Caucasus and Central Asia, but primarily Armenia and Azerbaijan. The main focus of her research is the adoption and use of information and communication technologies in diverse cultural, economic, and political contexts, mainly authoritarian post-Soviet states. On the adoption side, Pearce looks at barriers to use—often socioeconomic, but sometimes political or cultural. On the outcome of ICT use side, Pearce studies outcomes like decreasing or increasing inequality due to ICTs, cosmopolitanism, capital enhancement, civic engagement, demand for democracy, and social activism. Methodologically, most of her earlier work is quantitative modeling, while much of her more recent work is qualitative or mixed methods.
Topic: Habits by Design: Research and Ethics in Human-Computer Interaction
Alexis Hiniker is an Associate Professor in the Information School at the University of Washington and Director of the User Empowerment Lab. Through her work in human-computer interaction and ubiquitous computing, she investigates the ways in which everyday technologies make life worse for their users. Hiniker combines user-centered design methods with theory from a variety of disciplines to design, implement and evaluate new technical systems. Her current projects focus on compulsive technology use, dark patterns, voice interfaces, and arguments online. She has a Ph.D. in Human Centered Design and Engineering from the University of Washington, an M.A. in Learning, Design and Technology from Stanford University, and an A.B. in Computer Science from Harvard University.
Anissa Tanweer is a Senior Social Scientist at the eScience Institute, an Affiliate Faculty member in the Department of Communication, and a sociotechnical expert for the Scientific Software Engineering Center (SSEC). She conducts ethnographic research on the practice and culture of computationally mediated science and applies a sociotechnical lens to the design and implementation of training programs in data-intensive academic research. Tanweer directs the UW Data Science for Social Good summer internship and ran the Data Science Studies Special Interest Group at UW from 2018-2021. Tanweer earned a Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Washington. She has published her research on topics such as ethics and data science in journals such as Social Studies of Science, Big Data & Society, and Harvard Data Science Review.
Technology for the People is a Society + Technology at UW salon co-hosted with the Department of Communication’s Center for Journalism, Media, and Democracy arranged to showcase empathetic, community-focused engagement with technologies for justice and democracy.
Featuring speakers from UW Seattle, UW Tacoma, and UW Bothell, the conversation will discuss efforts toward digital equity and information access in the Puget Sound region from a range of disciplines including communication, computer science, public policy, and human-centered design and engineering.
Anyone interested in attending is welcome, however, registration is required.
5:30 | Doors open. Check in at the Welcome Desk at the east entrance to Gates Hall
6:00 – 7:20 | Salon conversation with Dharma Dailey (Computing & Software Systems, UW Bothell), Carmen Gonzalez (Communication, UW Seattle), Esther Jang (Computer Science, UW Seattle), Divya C. McMillin (Global Media Studies, UW Tacoma); moderated by Adrienne Russell (Communication, UW Seattle) with an introduction by co-host Monika Sengul-Jones (Society + Technology at UW)
7:20 – 8:00 | Reception in the Galleria
Recording
This salon will not be available in a hybrid format, however, a recording or transcript may be available upon request and with permission from the speakers. Email mmjones@uw.edu to learn more.
Travel and Parking
The School of Law is accessible by transit, car, bicycle, and foot.
By public transit, the School of Law is accessible to many busses and less than 0.2 miles from the U District station for the Light Rail. The entrance to the event is on the east side of the building, on Memorial Way.
By car, exit 1-5 to NE 45th St and go east. Turn right onto Memorial Way Northeast, then turn right to enter Lot N01, adjacent to the Burke Museum, which has Pay By Phone parking.
Bicycle racks are available on the north end of the building.
Accessibility
All areas of this space are wheelchair accessible. There are ADA parking spots in Lot N01 Hall. The event, reception, and bathrooms are conveniently located on the main floor. If you need accommodations or have accessibility questions prior to the event, please contact mmjones@uw.edu; during the event, please ask the Society + Technology at UW and Tech Policy Lab staff or volunteers for assistance.
Masks
We are a mask-friendly event. Even though masks are no longer required in many places, attendees may want to continue to wear a mask for added protection against COVID-19, especially those who are immunocompromised, living with someone immunocompromised, or who may just feel safer wearing a mask. Everyone should assess their own personal risk when making this decision. Masks will be available at the Welcome Table at the east entrance to the School of Law. Please do not attend if you are feeling unwell.
About Salons
Salons are one of Society + Technology at UW’s community programs, hosted conversations to elevate the cross-campus and cross-disciplinary perspectives on emerging technologies. Each Salon is a one-hour and fifteen-minute conversation between three to five affiliates from the S+T network, with a moderator. The purpose is to recognize and honor live, arranged encounters as a meeting of the minds, to give greater visibility to the S+T network, and to cultivate intellectual conditions for deeper collaborations.
Dharma Dailey is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Computing & Software Systems Division of the University of Washington Bothell School of STEM where she teaches User Research, Interaction Design, and Intro to Programming. As a faculty affiliate at the eScience Institute at the University of Washington, Dailey investigates how human-centered design can be incorporated into data-intensive research. She has mentored dozens of scientists in exploring the social dimensions of their research and collaborates with educators across the U.S. who are bringing “Data for Good” into the learning experiences they foster, for example, helping to share better practices for running university-based Data Science for Social Good programs.
Carmen Gonzalez is the Dart Endowed Associate Professor in Trauma, Journalism, and Communication. She studies digital equity and health communication to understand how communication information technologies can help or harm health disparities, for instance, she’s studied postpartum care and telemedicine, language access in medical settings, and information access within immigrant families. Her research, funded by the NIH, UW Population Health Initiative, and Google, also includes rapid response projects on COVID-19’s disproportionate impact on communities of color. Carmen is Co-Director of the Center for Communication, Difference, and Equity (CCDE), founder of the Health Equity Action Lab (HEAL), and Director of Outreach for the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center (HIPRC).
Esther Jang is a Postdoctoral Researcher in Computer Science at the University of Washington. She holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Washington. Jang is also a Director at the nonprofit Local Connectivity Lab (LCL) and the founder of the Seattle Community Network (SCN), a project launched in 2019 to build DIY internet infrastructure for digital equity. She has installed community networks across the U.S. and internationally and teaches technical networking at the Tribal Broadband Bootcamp (TBB). Her work focuses on DIY approaches, empowerment, and pedagogy, emphasizing the creation of communities of practice to sustain technical infrastructures—and vice versa.
Divya C. McMillin is a Professor of Global Media Studies in the School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences at UW Tacoma and the Associate Vice Chancellor for Innovation and Global Engagement (PhD 1998, International Communication and Cultural Studies, Indiana University Bloomington; Innovation Masters Certificate 2019, Stanford University), where she is at the helm of the Institute for Innovation and Global Engagement, and, The Global Innovation and Design Lab, a space for problem-solving and expertly facilitated workshops and executive education in social innovation and design thinking. She is a leading scholar of global media studies and practitioner of participatory design and design thinking. Divya is author of several books, including International Media Studies and Place, Power, and Media whichbring a postcolonial critique to media globalization. Divya has received numerous research and teaching awards as well as UW Tacoma’s awards for distinguished research and community engagement. She holds affiliate teaching appointments in the UW Seattle Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies South Asia Center and Center for Global Studies. She is a Guest Lecturer in the London School of Economics. McMillin began her career in print (The Times of India) and broadcast journalism (All India Radio and National Public Radio). In her spare time, she enjoys playing bass and traveling the world.
Adrienne Russell is Mary Laird Wood Professor of Communication and co-director of the Center for Journalism, Media, and Democracy. Her research lies at the intersection of journalism, technology and political communication. It focuses on emerging technologies and pressing social problems, with an eye toward how to foster democratic and participatory publics. Her most recent book, The Mediated Climate (Columbia University Press 2023), explores the overlapping climate and information crises, examining how journalism, activism, and Big Tech compete to influence the public.
More about the Center for Journalism, Media, and Democracy
CJMD is a hub for research, teaching and public discussion about the forces shaping information practices, media cultures and core democratic values. Through research, teaching, and public engagement, we explore connections between public institutions, the press, and digital platforms with the aim of identifying the threats and opportunities to quality information, robust engagement, government accountability, and core democratic values.
More about Society + Technology at UW
Society + Technology at UW is a cross-campus, cross-disciplinary initiative and community at the University of Washington devoted to fostering interdisciplinary conversations about emerging technologies and their societal impact. The initiative connects researchers, students, and professionals through events, discussions, and collaborative initiatives. With a growing network of affiliates, S+T at UW raises the ethical, cultural, and policy implications of technological advancements.
The Science, Society & Justice pop-up working group is now completed. Hosted by Tim Brown and facilitated/moderated by Monika Sengul-Jones, these sessions brought together Society + Technology at UW’s network of faculty, staff, and students to engage in thoughtful discussions on science, society, and justice in a critical juncture. Several themes crosscut the three sessions, including concerns about academic research and ways to foster community resilience.
The third session dovetailed concern with creation: participants used a prompt to write stories in twelve minutes that tended to these themes—you can check out the prompt and read their fictional stories (shared with permission) here.
