Virgie Hoban, University of California Berkeley Library News; Librarians from across the Pacific gather for conference on open access, collaboration
"This past week, more than 60 librarians from universities across the
Pacific descended upon the UC Berkeley campus, converging for a two-day
deep dive into the experiments and achievements of fellow librarians
working toward a more open, connected world.
The Pacific Rim Research Libraries Alliance, or PRRLA,
is a group of libraries that share important resources and ideas in
hopes of improving the state of scholarly research around the world. The
alliance meets annually to exchange stories about various technologies
and programs — and the strides and bumps along the way."
Saturday, September 29, 2018
How to Identify MBA Programs That Emphasize Ethics; U.S. News & World Report, September 27, 2018
Ilana Kowarski, U.S. News & World Report; How to Identify MBA Programs That Emphasize Ethics
""Students need to ask if ethics is integrated into all classes," Scott MacDonald, the director of the MBA program at the University of Dayton's School of Business Administration, wrote in an email. "Does the curriculum integrate ethics into finance, marketing, operations etc. or does the program just offer a stand-alone ethics class? How ingrained is ethics in the DNA of the school?”
""Students need to ask if ethics is integrated into all classes," Scott MacDonald, the director of the MBA program at the University of Dayton's School of Business Administration, wrote in an email. "Does the curriculum integrate ethics into finance, marketing, operations etc. or does the program just offer a stand-alone ethics class? How ingrained is ethics in the DNA of the school?”
Leigh Hafrey, a senior lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management
who teaches courses on professional ethics, says discussion-based
ethics courses are particularly valuable. "I have attended many very
good lectures on ethics, and that certainly qualifies as a legitimate
method to convey ethics instruction, but I do think that the opportunity
to participate in the conversation makes a huge difference," Hafrey
says. "It gives the student ownership … and invites them to take an
active stance on issues of major concern to all of us and the
organizations in which we work.""
Tuesday, September 25, 2018
Copyright Librarian Position: U.S. Naval War College Library at the U.S. Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island; Deadline for Application: September 28, 2018
The U.S. Naval War College Library at the U.S. Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, is recruiting for the position Copyright Librarian. The announcement will be posted on USAJobs website and run from September 24th to September 28th. Applications are made online at USAJobs. Be prepared to submit your resume and college transcripts as part of your application package. To find job openings at the Naval War College search on the keywords Naval War College or Newport Rhode Island. Individuals interested in this position can learn more about the application process by visiting USAJobs and can begin by creating their account and uploading their resume and other required documentation. Applicants, including Department of Navy employees, will be required to submit both eligibility and qualification supporting documents at the time of application.
The Institution:
The Naval War College (NWC) is a Professional Military Education (PME)
institution serving the nation, the Department of Defense and the U.S. Navy. It is accredited by the New England
Association of Schools and Colleges to grant a master’s degree in national
security and strategic studies. The NWC
Library, named in honor of Rear Admiral Henry Effingham Eccles, recently adopted
a Learning Commons model with the completion of a new, state-of-the-art 86,000
square foot facility that brings together under one roof the Library, Writing
Center, Information Resources Department (IT), Dean of Students, Café, and
Bookstore.
The Library is composed of both general and classified
library collections serving approximately 650 resident students and 5,000
distance education students. The print collections contain over 200,000 books
and documents covering naval and military science, history and strategy,
management, economics, international relations, international law,
oceanography, and political science. Regional studies, leadership and ethics, cybersecurity,
and irregular warfare have been given increased emphasis over the last decade. The
Classified Library contains over 53,000 titles, including Joint and Naval Warfare
Publications, including doctrine, Joint Electronic Library, and the Joint
Doctrine, Education, and Training Information System.
The Position: This
is a newly created position located in the Circulation Department of the Naval
War College (NWC) Library, an organizational component of the Office of the
Provost, and reports to the Head of Circulation. The Circulation Department is primarily
concerned with collection management, circulation, print and electronic
reserves, document delivery services, and copyright.
The incumbent serves as a knowledgeable and service-oriented
licensing and copyright professional who leads the copyright program for the
NWC. This includes performing a variety
of functions and processes that relate to the implementation of copyright
policy, formulation of procedures, licensing negotiation, workflows, and
obtaining copyright permissions for all forms of published and unpublished
materials requested by all NWC faculty and staff.
Typical duties include:
- Manages the NWC's copyright requirements and serves as the NWC copyright subject matter expert. Develops and communicates copyright policies and procedures to the NWC students, staff and faculty, making adjustments, providing instruction, and making recommendations for changes.
- Develops, organizes and delivers seminars, programs, modules, and workshops to educate faculty, students, and other campus partners about copyright, scholarly communication, author’s rights, and licensing issues and practices in tandem with the Research and Instruction Librarians.
- Collaborates with members of the NWC faculty, staff, and senior leadership in researching and processing copyright permissions for courseware readings and electronic reserves.
- Responds to licensing queries from within the Library and across the NWC and keeps up-to-date on copyright law, licenses and fair dealing. Liaises with the Staff Judge Advocate's Office and General Counsel’s Office to provide copyright direction to NWC students, Staff and Faculty.
- Monitors the cost-effective use of funds for obtaining copyright permissions for the NWC and by recommending the outright purchase of materials when appropriate.
- Maintains copyright clearance, permission, and disapproval files as required by the Federal Records Management program implemented by the College and U.S. Code and copyright law.
- Liaises with other Joint Professional Military Education and academic institutions to develop and promote community engagement tools. Liaises with other college and university copyright positions to maintain currency, identify best practices, and share information
The Naval War College is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative
Action Employer.
For additional information about the position please contact
Ms. Lori Brostuen, Deputy Director at 401-841-2642 or
email lori.brostuen@usnwc.edu.
Thursday, September 20, 2018
From Arabic to AI: the ancient roots of the algorithm; The Guardian, September 20, 2018
Steven Poole, The Guardian; From Arabic to AI: the ancient roots of the algorithm
"To this day, algorithm is still just a fancy name for a set of rules. If this, then that; if that is true, then do this. In finance, especially, the word is often shortened to “algo”, which via “algae” evokes a sense of inexorable biological growth. But perhaps if we thought of algorithms as mere humdrum flowcharts, drawn up by humans, we’d be better able to see where responsibility really lies if, or when, they go wrong."
"To this day, algorithm is still just a fancy name for a set of rules. If this, then that; if that is true, then do this. In finance, especially, the word is often shortened to “algo”, which via “algae” evokes a sense of inexorable biological growth. But perhaps if we thought of algorithms as mere humdrum flowcharts, drawn up by humans, we’d be better able to see where responsibility really lies if, or when, they go wrong."
Pride Initiatives Earn National Recognition; University of Pittsburgh: PittWire, September 19, 2018
University of Pittsburgh: PittWire; Pride Initiatives Earn National Recognition
"The first-ever, nationwide Live Proud on Campus contest — sponsored by AT&T and the Human Rights Campaign — last year awarded Pitt student Amy Kelley and two other finalists a $10,000 scholarship and $2,500 in funding support. The charge: Develop a project to increase LGBTQIA+ awareness and acceptance on their college campuses.
Now a senior and resident assistant studying social work and applied developmental psychology in the School of Education, Kelley is in the process of pilot testing an as-yet unnamed program that aims to create dialogue among students around identity, acceptance and differences. She is assembling a team of peer facilitators to lead discussions and be visible student allies."
Interest in diversity and inclusion workshops continues to grow as program enters third year; The University of Pittsburgh: The University Times, September 18, 2018
Susan Jones, The University of Pittsburgh: The University Times; Interest in diversity and inclusion workshops continues to grow as program enters third year
"The required classes are:
Other workshops being offered this fall are:
"The required classes are:
- “Fostering a Diverse and Inclusive Environment: The Why and How,” 9-11 a.m. Oct. 10, Nov. 2 and Nov. 30
- “Preventing Sexual Misconduct: Understanding Your Responsibility,” 1-3 p.m. Sept. 25 and 29
Other workshops being offered this fall are:
- “Different Like You: Recognizing Stereotypes and Removing Barriers”
- “Understanding Harassment: How to Recognize and Respond”
- “Baby Boomers to Millennials: Respect and Productivity in the Workplace”
- “Intercultural Competency: Beyond the Basics”
- “Veterans on Campus: Understanding Resources and Opportunity”
- “Workplace Bullying: Understanding a Barrier to Equal Opportunity”
- “Gender Theory, Gender Diversity, and Trans-Inclusive Spaces”"
Move Fast And (Don't) Break Things; Forbes, September 20, 2018
Eric Schrock, Forbes; Move Fast And (Don't) Break Things
[Kip Currier: Excellent points made by the author, underscoring the need for organizations of all kinds to provide and promote data ethics education and training within organizational cultures. As RuPaul would say, "Can I get an Amen up in here?!"]
"Integrate Data Ethics Training
The technology landscape is changing rapidly, and few employees are familiar with the ethical implications of new techniques. The applications of computer science are so diverse and varied that there’s no all-encompassing set of standards they can to look to. Navigating what’s right and wrong when you’re moving fast and under pressure to meet project deadlines can add a ton of pressure and be a recipe for data breach or misuse.
Companies have a duty to provide their employees with training, and we’re seeing it outside industries, too. At the University of Stanford, a joint initiative by the students in computer science, Social Good and the Stanford AI Group offer a course on the ethical implications of AI as a way to get future computer scientists and engineers to think about the role of ethics tied to the products they’re creating.
Despite the need to move fast, people need to have downtime to think about the work they’re doing and whether it addresses data privacy and security concerns. We need to stop talking about ethics only when a massive breach happens and instead ensure that they’re ingrained in workflows and across developer communities to help form broader professional standards. Companies should provide their employees with this on-the-job learning.
In 2014, Facebook updated its motto to the less catchy “move fast with stable infrastructure."
[Kip Currier: Excellent points made by the author, underscoring the need for organizations of all kinds to provide and promote data ethics education and training within organizational cultures. As RuPaul would say, "Can I get an Amen up in here?!"]
"Integrate Data Ethics Training
The technology landscape is changing rapidly, and few employees are familiar with the ethical implications of new techniques. The applications of computer science are so diverse and varied that there’s no all-encompassing set of standards they can to look to. Navigating what’s right and wrong when you’re moving fast and under pressure to meet project deadlines can add a ton of pressure and be a recipe for data breach or misuse.
Companies have a duty to provide their employees with training, and we’re seeing it outside industries, too. At the University of Stanford, a joint initiative by the students in computer science, Social Good and the Stanford AI Group offer a course on the ethical implications of AI as a way to get future computer scientists and engineers to think about the role of ethics tied to the products they’re creating.
Despite the need to move fast, people need to have downtime to think about the work they’re doing and whether it addresses data privacy and security concerns. We need to stop talking about ethics only when a massive breach happens and instead ensure that they’re ingrained in workflows and across developer communities to help form broader professional standards. Companies should provide their employees with this on-the-job learning.
In 2014, Facebook updated its motto to the less catchy “move fast with stable infrastructure."
Pittsburgh is filled with people trying to win patents. PPG is at the front of the line. One of an occasional series: Patented in Pittsburgh; The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 20, 2018
Courtney Linder, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Pittsburgh is filled with people trying to win patents. PPG is at the front of the line.
One of an occasional series: Patented in Pittsburgh
One of an occasional series: Patented in Pittsburgh
"Between 2005 and 2015, PPG was awarded 583 patents, the most in the
Pittsburgh region, and certainly enough to warrant the structure PPG has
crafted to protect its secrets until it has the force of a U.S. patent
seal...
Pittsburgh universities churning out patents
Between 2008 and 2017, Pittsburgh's research
universities have tripled their patent generation and doubled the number
of technology licenses granted for commercial use."
You Have to Stop Canceling and Rescheduling Things. Really.; Harvard Business Review, September 19, 2018
Whitney Johnson, Harvard Business Review; You Have to Stop Canceling and Rescheduling Things. Really.
"If you really mean no when you say yes, then say no in the first place. We are all in the same boat — we have finite time and a seemingly infinite number of worthwhile things to do with it. Don’t know how to say no? Google “how to say no to a request” and then study up. Commit yourself to not agreeing to do things unless you’re going to follow through. Ask for time to think things over if you’re unsure. Don’t overschedule yourself. If you’re truly overextended, you may require a transition period to weed some things out; after that, once you say yes to something, stick to the yes. If the commitment seemed like a good idea at the time, it still is — even if the value is found not in the activity itself but in being trustworthy and following through."
"If you really mean no when you say yes, then say no in the first place. We are all in the same boat — we have finite time and a seemingly infinite number of worthwhile things to do with it. Don’t know how to say no? Google “how to say no to a request” and then study up. Commit yourself to not agreeing to do things unless you’re going to follow through. Ask for time to think things over if you’re unsure. Don’t overschedule yourself. If you’re truly overextended, you may require a transition period to weed some things out; after that, once you say yes to something, stick to the yes. If the commitment seemed like a good idea at the time, it still is — even if the value is found not in the activity itself but in being trustworthy and following through."
Shape culture Drive strategy; Deloitte Insights, February 29, 2016
Marc Kaplan,
Ben Dollar,
Veronica Melian,
Yves Van Durme,
Jungle Wong, Deloitte Insights; Shape culture Drive strategy
"CEOs and HR leaders now recognize that culture drives people’s behavior, innovation, and customer service: 82 percent of survey respondents believe that “culture is a potential competitive advantage.”
Knowing that leadership behavior and reward systems directly impact organizational performance, customer service, employee engagement, and retention, leading companies are using data and behavioral information to manage and influence their culture...
Culture is particularly important during times of great change, such as mergers and acquisitions or corporate divestitures, which offer an opportunity for a fresh start on culture."
"CEOs and HR leaders now recognize that culture drives people’s behavior, innovation, and customer service: 82 percent of survey respondents believe that “culture is a potential competitive advantage.”
Knowing that leadership behavior and reward systems directly impact organizational performance, customer service, employee engagement, and retention, leading companies are using data and behavioral information to manage and influence their culture...
Culture is particularly important during times of great change, such as mergers and acquisitions or corporate divestitures, which offer an opportunity for a fresh start on culture."
Public May Not Trust Higher Ed, but Employers Do; Inside Higher Ed, August 28, 2018
Jeremy Bauer-Wolf, Inside Higher Ed; Public May Not Trust Higher Ed, but Employers Do
"A couple of the skills that both parties valued the most: effective oral communication and critical thinking.
But while 90 percent of managers, and 80 percent of executives, considered oral communication “very important” in their hiring, only 47 percent of the managers and 40 percent of the executives believe students are well prepared in this regard."
"A couple of the skills that both parties valued the most: effective oral communication and critical thinking.
But while 90 percent of managers, and 80 percent of executives, considered oral communication “very important” in their hiring, only 47 percent of the managers and 40 percent of the executives believe students are well prepared in this regard."
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
China is stealing American intellectual property. Trump's tariffs are a chance to stop it; Los Angeles Times, September 17, 2018
Charlene L. Fu and Curtis S. Chin, Los Angeles Times; China is stealing American intellectual property. Trump's tariffs are a chance to stop it
"Whatever else one might think of President Trump’s actions, he is confronting China about its unfair trade practices and theft of American intellectual property when too many others shy away from the truth for fear of Chinese reprisal."
"Whatever else one might think of President Trump’s actions, he is confronting China about its unfair trade practices and theft of American intellectual property when too many others shy away from the truth for fear of Chinese reprisal."
Steve Jobs licensed Amazon’s one-click patent for $1 million in one phone call; Quartz, September 17, 2018
Kabir Chibber, Quartz; Steve Jobs licensed Amazon’s one-click patent for $1 million in one phone call
"“Licensing Amazon.com’s 1-Click patent and trademark will allow us to offer our customers an even easier and faster online buying experience,” Steve Jobs said at the time.
A Wired magazine oral history of Infinite Loop, Apple’s corporate offices in Cupertino, California for most of its existence, tells the behind-the-scenes story of that decision."
"“Licensing Amazon.com’s 1-Click patent and trademark will allow us to offer our customers an even easier and faster online buying experience,” Steve Jobs said at the time.
A Wired magazine oral history of Infinite Loop, Apple’s corporate offices in Cupertino, California for most of its existence, tells the behind-the-scenes story of that decision."
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
SAP Becomes First European Tech Company to Create Ethics Advisory Panel for Artificial Intelligence; PR Newswire via Yahoo, September 18, 2018
PR Newswire via Yahoo; SAP Becomes First European Tech Company to Create Ethics Advisory Panel for Artificial Intelligence
""SAP
considers the ethical use of data a core value," said Luka Mucic, Chief
Financial Officer and Member of the Executive Board, SAP. "We want to
create software that enables the intelligent enterprise and actually
improves people's lives. Such principles will serve as the basis to make
AI a technology that augments human talent."
SAP guiding principles reflect the company's commitment to comply with the highest ethical standards."
Sunday, September 16, 2018
Publishers Call Out Target for 'Censoring' Book Descriptions; Publishers Weekly, September 13, 2018
Claire Kirch, Publishers Weekly; Publishers Call Out Target for 'Censoring' Book Descriptions
"According to Ohio State University Press director Tony Sanfilippo, Target’s move might be a well-meaning policy gone awry. “I understand that they might want to avoid controversy. But if they want to keep Nazis off their site, or Nazi-themed products out of their search results, there are ways of doing that that don’t censor. If you can’t say 'Nazi,' you can’t stop Nazis. And if you can’t search for books about the trans community and trans issues, your search engine and your corporate philosophy are morally flawed.""
"According to Ohio State University Press director Tony Sanfilippo, Target’s move might be a well-meaning policy gone awry. “I understand that they might want to avoid controversy. But if they want to keep Nazis off their site, or Nazi-themed products out of their search results, there are ways of doing that that don’t censor. If you can’t say 'Nazi,' you can’t stop Nazis. And if you can’t search for books about the trans community and trans issues, your search engine and your corporate philosophy are morally flawed.""
Russia is better at propaganda than we are; CNN, September 14, 2018
James Ball, CNN; Russia is better at propaganda than we are
"It's a playbook NATO is so aware of that it's produced a handbook setting out the Russian model -- "dismiss, distort, distract, dismay" -- in detail.
It's a playbook that prospers by using the tools of a democracy -- open disagreement, tolerance of fringe groups and crucially mainstream and social media -- against us. And there is so far no sign that its efficacy is diminishing.
Simply put, Russia is better at misinformation than its opponents. It understands better how information -- good or bad -- is spread. Everyone else needs to get better at dealing with it."
"It's a playbook NATO is so aware of that it's produced a handbook setting out the Russian model -- "dismiss, distort, distract, dismay" -- in detail.
It's a playbook that prospers by using the tools of a democracy -- open disagreement, tolerance of fringe groups and crucially mainstream and social media -- against us. And there is so far no sign that its efficacy is diminishing.
Simply put, Russia is better at misinformation than its opponents. It understands better how information -- good or bad -- is spread. Everyone else needs to get better at dealing with it."
Saturday, September 15, 2018
Please, students, take that ‘impractical’ humanities course. We will all benefit.; The Washington Post, September 14, 2018
Ronald J. Daniels, The Washington Post; Please, students, take that ‘impractical’ humanities course. We will all benefit.
"Ronald J. Daniels is the president of Johns Hopkins University. This op-ed is adapted from a letter to Hopkins students...
I would have also mentioned to the student who shunned the philosophy course that he was misinformed about the job market. It is true that many employers are looking for graduates with specialized technical skills, but they also look for other capabilities. As the world is transformed by artificial intelligence, machine learning and automation, the uniquely human qualities of creativity, imagination, discernment and moral reasoning will be the ultimate coin of the realm. All these skills, as well as the ability to communicate clearly and persuasively, are honed in humanities courses."
"Ronald J. Daniels is the president of Johns Hopkins University. This op-ed is adapted from a letter to Hopkins students...
I would have also mentioned to the student who shunned the philosophy course that he was misinformed about the job market. It is true that many employers are looking for graduates with specialized technical skills, but they also look for other capabilities. As the world is transformed by artificial intelligence, machine learning and automation, the uniquely human qualities of creativity, imagination, discernment and moral reasoning will be the ultimate coin of the realm. All these skills, as well as the ability to communicate clearly and persuasively, are honed in humanities courses."
How can we better serve LGBTQ journalists?; The Poynter Institute, September 14, 2018
Daniel Funke, The Poynter Institute; How can we better serve LGBTQ journalists?
"Striving to dismantle otherness in order to come up with
solutions to journalism’s biggest problems is a constant thread at
NLGJA. This year, one of the event’s main panels was made up almost entirely of people of color. There were sessions on how to cover the transgender community, telling stories about bisexuals and diversity and intersection. Some of the issues journalists highlighted include:
- Deadnaming transgender people in obituaries.
- A lack of sensitivity from newsroom leaders about stories that could potentially be triggering for reporters of diversity.
- Missing out on important local stories about the LGBTQ community because of national political coverage.
- A lack of support for journalists who experience trauma on assignment.
- Covering stories about transgender people that don’t involve death or hardship."
Thursday, September 13, 2018
NIPS | 2018: Thirty-second Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems; NIPS Code of Conduct
NIPS | 2018: Thirty-second Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems
[Kip Currier: Listening to a Getting Smart podcast, "AI4All Extends The Power of Artificial Intelligence to High School Girls", led me to Neural Information Processing Systems (NIPS) and their NIPS Code of Conduct, which I've copied below]
"NIPS Code of Conduct
The open exchange of ideas, the freedom of thought and expression, and respectful scientific debate are central to the goals of this conference on machine learning; this requires a community and an environment that recognizes and respects the inherent worth of every person.
Who? All participants---attendees, organizers, reviewers, speakers, sponsors, and volunteers at our conference, workshops, and conference-sponsored social events---are required to agree with this code of conduct both during the event and on official communication channels, including social media. Organizers will enforce this code, and we expect cooperation from all participants to help ensure a safe and productive environment for everybody.
Scope? The conference commits itself to providing an experience for all participants that is free from harassment, bullying, discrimination, and retaliation for all participants. This includes offensive comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion (or lack thereof), politics, technology choices, or any other personal characteristics. Bullying, intimidation, personal attacks, harassment, sustained disruption of talks or other events, and behavior that interferes with another's full participation will not be tolerated. This includes sexual harassment, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, inappropriate physical contact, unwelcome sexual attention, public vulgar exchanges, and diminutive characterizations, which are all unwelcome in this community.
Sponsors are equally subject to this Code of Conduct. In particular, sponsors should not use images, activities, or other materials that are of a sexual, racial, or otherwise offensive nature. Booth staff (including volunteers) should not use sexualized clothing/uniforms/costumes, or otherwise create a sexualized environment. This code applies both to official sponsors as well as any organization that uses the conference name as branding as part of its activities at or around the conference.
Outcomes? Participants asked by any member of the community to stop any such behavior are expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in such behavior, the conference organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, including: a formal or informal warning to the offender, expulsion from the conference with no refund, barring from participation in future conferences or their organization, reporting the incident to the offender’s local institution or funding agencies, or reporting the incident to local law enforcement. A response of "just joking" will not be accepted; behavior can be harassing without an intent to offend. If action is taken, an appeals process will be made available.
Reporting? If you have concerns related to your inclusion at that conference, or observe someone else's difficulties, or have any other concerns related to inclusion, please contact the Diversity and Inclusion co-chairs. The Diversity and Inclusion co-chairs can be reached by email at diversity-chairs@lists.nips.cc, on Twitter at @InclusionInML or by telephone/wechat at a number to be announced shortly; conference volunteers will also have this contact information and can assist with connecting you to the co-chairs. Complaints and violations will be handled at the discretion of the Diversity & Inclusion co-chairs, general chair and the conference board. Reports made during the conference will be responded to in less than 24 hours; those at other times in less than two weeks. We are prepared and eager to help participants contact relevant help services, to escort them to a safe location, or to otherwise assist those experiencing harassment to feel safe for the duration of the conference. We gratefully accept feedback from the community on policy and actions; please contact us."
[Kip Currier: Listening to a Getting Smart podcast, "AI4All Extends The Power of Artificial Intelligence to High School Girls", led me to Neural Information Processing Systems (NIPS) and their NIPS Code of Conduct, which I've copied below]
"NIPS Code of Conduct
The open exchange of ideas, the freedom of thought and expression, and respectful scientific debate are central to the goals of this conference on machine learning; this requires a community and an environment that recognizes and respects the inherent worth of every person.
Who? All participants---attendees, organizers, reviewers, speakers, sponsors, and volunteers at our conference, workshops, and conference-sponsored social events---are required to agree with this code of conduct both during the event and on official communication channels, including social media. Organizers will enforce this code, and we expect cooperation from all participants to help ensure a safe and productive environment for everybody.
Scope? The conference commits itself to providing an experience for all participants that is free from harassment, bullying, discrimination, and retaliation for all participants. This includes offensive comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion (or lack thereof), politics, technology choices, or any other personal characteristics. Bullying, intimidation, personal attacks, harassment, sustained disruption of talks or other events, and behavior that interferes with another's full participation will not be tolerated. This includes sexual harassment, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, inappropriate physical contact, unwelcome sexual attention, public vulgar exchanges, and diminutive characterizations, which are all unwelcome in this community.
Sponsors are equally subject to this Code of Conduct. In particular, sponsors should not use images, activities, or other materials that are of a sexual, racial, or otherwise offensive nature. Booth staff (including volunteers) should not use sexualized clothing/uniforms/costumes, or otherwise create a sexualized environment. This code applies both to official sponsors as well as any organization that uses the conference name as branding as part of its activities at or around the conference.
Outcomes? Participants asked by any member of the community to stop any such behavior are expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in such behavior, the conference organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, including: a formal or informal warning to the offender, expulsion from the conference with no refund, barring from participation in future conferences or their organization, reporting the incident to the offender’s local institution or funding agencies, or reporting the incident to local law enforcement. A response of "just joking" will not be accepted; behavior can be harassing without an intent to offend. If action is taken, an appeals process will be made available.
Reporting? If you have concerns related to your inclusion at that conference, or observe someone else's difficulties, or have any other concerns related to inclusion, please contact the Diversity and Inclusion co-chairs. The Diversity and Inclusion co-chairs can be reached by email at diversity-chairs@lists.nips.cc, on Twitter at @InclusionInML or by telephone/wechat at a number to be announced shortly; conference volunteers will also have this contact information and can assist with connecting you to the co-chairs. Complaints and violations will be handled at the discretion of the Diversity & Inclusion co-chairs, general chair and the conference board. Reports made during the conference will be responded to in less than 24 hours; those at other times in less than two weeks. We are prepared and eager to help participants contact relevant help services, to escort them to a safe location, or to otherwise assist those experiencing harassment to feel safe for the duration of the conference. We gratefully accept feedback from the community on policy and actions; please contact us."
AI4All Extends The Power of Artificial Intelligence to High School Girls; Getting Smart, March 1, 2018
Getting Smart Staff, Getting Smart; AI4All Extends The Power of Artificial Intelligence to High School Girls
"In 2015, Stanford’s Fei-Fei Li, Olga Russakovsky, and Rick Sommer started a summer camp to address the diversity crisis. The early programs, focused on high school girls, had incredible results including increased technical ability, connections to role models, and a sense of belonging in computer science and AI for participants.
A new nonprofit, AI4ALL, was formed last year to extend access to summer programs like the one launched by Li, Russakovsky, and Sommer–beginning with Stanford, Carnegie Mellon University, Berkeley, Princeton, Boston University, and Simon Fraser.
The mission of AI4ALL, according to Posner, is to increase diversity and inclusion in the field and to make sure the benefits are widely shared by democratizing access to tools and involveing [sic] diverse voices in the field."
"In 2015, Stanford’s Fei-Fei Li, Olga Russakovsky, and Rick Sommer started a summer camp to address the diversity crisis. The early programs, focused on high school girls, had incredible results including increased technical ability, connections to role models, and a sense of belonging in computer science and AI for participants.
A new nonprofit, AI4ALL, was formed last year to extend access to summer programs like the one launched by Li, Russakovsky, and Sommer–beginning with Stanford, Carnegie Mellon University, Berkeley, Princeton, Boston University, and Simon Fraser.
The mission of AI4ALL, according to Posner, is to increase diversity and inclusion in the field and to make sure the benefits are widely shared by democratizing access to tools and involveing [sic] diverse voices in the field."
Let's Talk About AI Ethics; We're On A Deadline; Forbes, September 13, 2018
Tom Vander Ark, Forbes; Let's Talk About AI Ethics; We're On A Deadline
"In Pittsburgh, the Montour School District launched America's First Public School AI Program.
Justin Aglio, director of academic achievement and innovation, is working with MIT on an open source middle school AI Ethics Curriculum that will develop students’ ethical thinking abilities in the domain of artificial intelligence. In addition to learning computer science fundamentals, students will also learn how professions such as designers, social scientists, or philosophers contribute to the ethical design of AI systems.”
AI4ALL is creating a national network of university computer science departments connecting with high school students.
Why secondary schools as the hub of community conversations? Every secondary school student should be studying the implications of AI--it’s the most important change force that will shape their careers, social networks, and communities. And what better way to learn than to host conversations that explore what’s going on, what it means, and how to prepare (see a SXSWedu conversation using this framework)?
It’s time to #AskAboutAI. It’s time for secondary schools to become the hub of community conversations about the ethics and opportunities of our time. We’re on a deadline."
"In Pittsburgh, the Montour School District launched America's First Public School AI Program.
Justin Aglio, director of academic achievement and innovation, is working with MIT on an open source middle school AI Ethics Curriculum that will develop students’ ethical thinking abilities in the domain of artificial intelligence. In addition to learning computer science fundamentals, students will also learn how professions such as designers, social scientists, or philosophers contribute to the ethical design of AI systems.”
AI4ALL is creating a national network of university computer science departments connecting with high school students.
Why secondary schools as the hub of community conversations? Every secondary school student should be studying the implications of AI--it’s the most important change force that will shape their careers, social networks, and communities. And what better way to learn than to host conversations that explore what’s going on, what it means, and how to prepare (see a SXSWedu conversation using this framework)?
It’s time to #AskAboutAI. It’s time for secondary schools to become the hub of community conversations about the ethics and opportunities of our time. We’re on a deadline."
The UK can and must be a world leader in ethical regulation of the digital revolution; ComputerWeekly.com, September 13, 2018
Bryan Glick, ComputerWeekly.com; The UK can and must be a world leader in ethical regulation of the digital revolution
"Nigel Shadbolt, one of the UK’s leading academics in AI and open data, told Computer Weekly that if the UK wants to take a lead in AI, then an area for focus is ethics. Realistically, the UK can’t compete with the multibillions that China is throwing at the sector – but China’s social and political culture is unlikely to take the same approach to regulation and ethics as we would.
It’s an easy thing to say, much harder to do – but the UK has a unique opportunity to lead the world in ethical regulation of the digital revolution. Don’t regulate on specifics – regulate on values and principles that can underpin technology development for years, maybe even decades to come.
The UK government is already setting up a Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation, and Theresa May has called for the UK to be a world leader in ethical AI. We have a genuine opportunity to set the standards that the world will follow. In such uncertain times for the UK tech sector, ethics is one area where we can and must take the lead."
"Nigel Shadbolt, one of the UK’s leading academics in AI and open data, told Computer Weekly that if the UK wants to take a lead in AI, then an area for focus is ethics. Realistically, the UK can’t compete with the multibillions that China is throwing at the sector – but China’s social and political culture is unlikely to take the same approach to regulation and ethics as we would.
It’s an easy thing to say, much harder to do – but the UK has a unique opportunity to lead the world in ethical regulation of the digital revolution. Don’t regulate on specifics – regulate on values and principles that can underpin technology development for years, maybe even decades to come.
The UK government is already setting up a Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation, and Theresa May has called for the UK to be a world leader in ethical AI. We have a genuine opportunity to set the standards that the world will follow. In such uncertain times for the UK tech sector, ethics is one area where we can and must take the lead."
Trump Rated Worse Than Other Modern-Day Presidents on Ethics; Gallup, September 13, 2018
Megan Brenan, Gallup; Trump Rated Worse Than Other Modern-Day Presidents on Ethics
"Bottom Line
The American public's ratings of the ethical standards of Trump and his administration's top officials are generally much worse than their ratings of his predecessors. Trump is viewed as having lower ethical standards than all presidents since Nixon, who resigned when faced with imminent impeachment."
"Bottom Line
The American public's ratings of the ethical standards of Trump and his administration's top officials are generally much worse than their ratings of his predecessors. Trump is viewed as having lower ethical standards than all presidents since Nixon, who resigned when faced with imminent impeachment."
North Carolina, Warned of Rising Seas, Chose to Favor Development; The New York Times, September 12, 2018
John Schwartz and Richard Fausset, The New York Times; North Carolina, Warned of Rising Seas, Chose to Favor Development
[Kip Currier: Food for thought for all stakeholders (--particularly anyone, anywhere, concerned and involved with matters of scientific research, data, modeling, ethics, law, and policy--) as the Carolinas prepare for the arrival of Hurricane Florence.
The article's takeaway insight is in the last three sentences, excerpted and highlighted in bold below.]
[Kip Currier: Food for thought for all stakeholders (--particularly anyone, anywhere, concerned and involved with matters of scientific research, data, modeling, ethics, law, and policy--) as the Carolinas prepare for the arrival of Hurricane Florence.
The article's takeaway insight is in the last three sentences, excerpted and highlighted in bold below.]
"The leading scientific model used to
forecast storm surge and its effect on coastal areas, known as Adcirc,
was created in large part by Rick Luettich, director of the institute of
marine sciences at the University of North Carolina.
In
a telephone interview during a break from boarding up the windows of
his home in Morehead City, on the coast, Mr. Luettich noted that before
2012, the state pursued progressive policies that put it in the
forefront of coastal management. When the legislature pushed back
against the clear scientific evidence underlying climate change, he
said, “it came as a shock.”
There is a lesson in that, he said.
[Bold and red added for emphasis] “The
process of converting scientific research into policy is one that we
take for granted at times,” Mr. Luettich said. “What we learned is that
you can’t take that for granted. We need to have a closer dialogue with
policymakers, to make sure we’re on the same page.”
Tuesday, September 11, 2018
Intellectual Property The Hard Way: Part II; Forbes, September 11, 2018
Mary Juetten, Forbes; Intellectual Property The Hard Way: Part II
"Last month I started an interview series on intellectual property (IP) and also wrote a piece about general IP tips for startups here.
The goal is to use actual stories and experts in the field to help
others avoid IP mistakes or failures or infringement, and more
importantly to ensure that companies of all sizes identify, protect, and
monetize their valuable intangible assets. As has been discussed many
times, these assets often make up 90% of a startup’s valuation."
Thursday, September 6, 2018
Law dean plans to promote inclusivity as one of her top priorities; University of Pittsburgh: University Times, September 5, 2018
Donovan Harrell, University of Pittsburgh: University Times;
"As the fall 2018 semester begins, Amy J. Wildermuth has been adjusting to her new position as dean of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law...
What are some of your goals for your first semester?
The first thing is to be a good listener. I really want to listen and learn as much as I can about this place, and I learn something new every day. When I think about listening and learning, I mean not just in the law school, but at the university level, in the community —especially with our alums and the practicing bar.
One of the big interests of the law school moving forward is inclusive excellence. And we are looking for a person to fill our … equity and inclusive excellence directorship. We are beginning to incorporate more education and training on inclusive excellence for everyone in this building. It's a very big priority for us. It's a passion of mine."
Law dean plans to promote inclusivity as one of her top priorities
"As the fall 2018 semester begins, Amy J. Wildermuth has been adjusting to her new position as dean of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law...
What are some of your goals for your first semester?
The first thing is to be a good listener. I really want to listen and learn as much as I can about this place, and I learn something new every day. When I think about listening and learning, I mean not just in the law school, but at the university level, in the community —especially with our alums and the practicing bar.
One of the big interests of the law school moving forward is inclusive excellence. And we are looking for a person to fill our … equity and inclusive excellence directorship. We are beginning to incorporate more education and training on inclusive excellence for everyone in this building. It's a very big priority for us. It's a passion of mine."
Wednesday, September 5, 2018
Computer Programmers Get New Tech Ethics Code; The Conversation via Scientific American, August 11, 2018
Cherri M. Pancake, The Conversation via Scientific American; Computer Programmers Get New Tech Ethics Code: The guidelines come from the Association for Computing Machinery
"That’s why the world’s largest organization of computer scientists and engineers, the Association for Computing Machinery, of which I am president, has issued a new code of ethics for computing professionals. And it’s why ACM is taking other steps to help technologists engage with ethical questions...
ACM’s last code of ethics was adopted in 1992, when many people saw computing work as purely technical. The internet was in its infancy and people were just beginning to understand the value of being able to aggregate and distribute information widely. It would still be years before artificial intelligence and machine learning had applications outside research labs.
Today, technologists’ work can affect the lives and livelihoods of people in ways that may be unintended, even unpredictable. I’m not an ethicist by training, but it’s clear to me that anyone in today’s computing field can benefit from guidance on ethical thinking and behavior."
"That’s why the world’s largest organization of computer scientists and engineers, the Association for Computing Machinery, of which I am president, has issued a new code of ethics for computing professionals. And it’s why ACM is taking other steps to help technologists engage with ethical questions...
ACM’s last code of ethics was adopted in 1992, when many people saw computing work as purely technical. The internet was in its infancy and people were just beginning to understand the value of being able to aggregate and distribute information widely. It would still be years before artificial intelligence and machine learning had applications outside research labs.
Today, technologists’ work can affect the lives and livelihoods of people in ways that may be unintended, even unpredictable. I’m not an ethicist by training, but it’s clear to me that anyone in today’s computing field can benefit from guidance on ethical thinking and behavior."
Monday, September 3, 2018
Why Protecting Recipes Under Intellectual Property Law May Leave a Bad Taste in Your Mouth; Above The Law, August 27, 2018
Tom Kulik, Above The Law; Why Protecting Recipes Under Intellectual Property Law May
Leave a Bad Taste in Your Mouth
[Kip
Currier: Interesting and useful information--in case you're thinking
about monetizing your own BBQ rub...or marketing Grandma's secret recipe for fill-in-the-blank.]
Print Is Dead? Not Here; The New York Times, September 2, 2018
Ted Geltner, The New York Times; Print Is Dead? Not Here
Elsewhere around the country, the industry continues to cough and wheeze
its way from print to digital, with layoffs and closings in its wake.
Just this week, Pittsburgh became the largest city in the United States
without a daily print paper when the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette announced it was cutting its print distribution to five days a week, ending a nearly 100-year history of seven-day-a-week publication."
[Kip Currier: Timely New York Times article, given my Letter to the Editor that I emailed to The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on September 1, 2018.]
"Practically every morning begins with a thud on the driveways of the roughly 50,000 homes here. The newspaper has arrived.
That
newspaper, The Villages Daily Sun, which exhaustively covers this
rapidly growing retirement community in Central Florida, is in the midst
of a boom that few other papers can even imagine. According to the
Alliance for Audited Media, the Sun’s weekday circulation of 55,700 is
up 169 percent since 2003. Over the same time, weekday newspaper
circulation across the United States has dropped 43 percent. (The
Orlando Sentinel, the region’s largest newspaper, is down 53 percent.)...
The searing photos that helped end child labor in America; The Washington Post, September 3, 2018
Jessica Contrera, The Washington Post; The searing photos that helped end child labor in America
"Hine’s photos showed the price: unsafe working conditions, dangerous machinery and business owners who refused to educate the children or limit their working hours.
Though there had been investigations that attempted to expose these circumstances in the past, “The industry simply dismissed those reports as — the term they would use today is — ‘fake news,’ ” said Hugh Hindman, a historian of child labor. “When Hine comes along and supplements the investigations with pictures, it creates a set of facts that can’t be denied anymore.”"
 |
| "Breaker
Boys working in Ewen Breaker of Pennsylvania Coal Co." South Pittston,
Pennsylvania. Photographer: Lewis Hine. Archived: Library of Congress |
Saturday, September 1, 2018
Letter to the Editor: "Get the Facts on Readers", Emailed to The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Kip Currier, September 1, 2018
[Kip
Currier: I'm copying below a Letter to the Editor--titled "Get the
Facts on Readers"--that I emailed today (September 1, 2018) to The
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. For additional background, see this story.]
Get the Facts on
Readers
Dear Editor,
The Post-Gazette is running a multi-platform ad campaign
that weaponizes variations of the line “I will never go digital” to make fun
of older readers, depicted as fuddy-duddy Luddites. In one particularly
offensive TV spot, a digitally-savvy granddaughter openly mocks her grandmother
who prefers print.
Research refutes the ageist “messages” in the P-G’s divisive
marketing campaign. Many adult U.S. readers—of all ages—are hybrid readers who want the choice of information in both print and digital formats.
As evidence, take a look at some of the key findings from a Jan.
3-10, 2018 national survey of 2,002 U.S. adults, reported by the
well-respected, non-partisan Pew Research Center:
Despite some growth in certain digital formats, it remains the case that relatively few Americans consume digital books (which include audiobooks and e-books) to the exclusion of print. Some 39% of Americans say they read only print books, while 29% read in these digital formats and also read print books.
And the coup de grace
to the P-G’s graceless stereotyping:
Some demographic groups are more likely than others to be digital-only book readers, but in general this behavior is relatively rare across a wide range of demographics. For example, 10% of 18- to 29-year-olds only read books in digital formats, compared with 5% of those ages 50-64 and 4% of those 65 and older.
The P-G’s preening effort to digitally divide users borders on farce, given that P-G
writers and staff repeatedly concede the deplorable state of the newspaper’s
digital search and archival features.
The P-G’s tagline is “One
of America’s Great Newspapers”. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons,
that tagline is not supported by facts. So, here’s a “message” for P-G
ownership:
Hire some of the Pittsburgh region’s highly educated information professionals to help the P-G become a bona fide leader in print and digital content, search, and delivery. Give the Pittsburgh region a truly great newspaper that inclusively serves and respects all of its readers and residents.
James “Kip”
Currier
Mt. Lebanon
Post-Gazette Is Going Digital, At Least On Some Days, With An Ad Campaign That Is Raising Eyebrows; KDKA 2 CBS Pittsburgh, August 22, 2018
Jon Delano, KDKA 2 CBS Pittsburgh; Post-Gazette Is Going Digital, At Least On Some Days, With An Ad Campaign That Is Raising Eyebrows
"The PG has billboards up around town and television ads on-air, featuring those who say they will never go digital.
One TV advertisement: “PGe and PG NewsSlide, who the bleep needs them. Last time I went on line they tried to track my cookies. They’ll never get my cookie recipe.”
Another TV advertisement: “Now they’re telling me PG is going digital. They can stick their digital. I’m not doing that.”
“It’s a little insensitive to the readers who really are connected to print, who really depend on print,” said [Andrew] Conte [director of Point Park University’s Center for Media Innovation].
Not true, says [Allan] Block [chairman of Block Communications that owns the PG]."
"The PG has billboards up around town and television ads on-air, featuring those who say they will never go digital.
One TV advertisement: “PGe and PG NewsSlide, who the bleep needs them. Last time I went on line they tried to track my cookies. They’ll never get my cookie recipe.”
Another TV advertisement: “Now they’re telling me PG is going digital. They can stick their digital. I’m not doing that.”
“It’s a little insensitive to the readers who really are connected to print, who really depend on print,” said [Andrew] Conte [director of Point Park University’s Center for Media Innovation].
Not true, says [Allan] Block [chairman of Block Communications that owns the PG]."
Want to revive the political center? Fight corruption.; The Washington Post, August 31, 2018
Anne Applebaum, The Washington Post;
Want to revive the political center? Fight corruption.
"Any serious anti-corruption, anti-fraud platform
should also have an international angle, because the spread of
corruption in the United States is part of a larger sickness that now
afflicts the entire Western alliance. Jointly, the United States,
Britain, Germany, France, the rest of Europe — as well as Japan and
Australia — are now locked in a real, life-and-death struggle against
international kleptocracy. All of our political systems are now
vulnerable to Russian and Chinese bribery and influence-buying. All of
our online media is now the target of full-time political manipulation.
To
preserve our democracies and maintain rule of law, we need to push
back, as allies, using not just sanctions but also new laws limiting —
or eliminating — the use of tax havens and the broader money-laundering
toolkit."
How to honor John McCain’s memory; The Washington Post, August 31, 2018
Ken Burns, The Washington Post;
"[John McCain] realized we could learn from these stories. But, as with all stories, you have to be willing to listen. In a world where considering opposing views seems increasingly endangered, you can honor the memory of John McCain by stopping to hear the stories of others."
How to honor John McCain’s memory
"[John McCain] realized we could learn from these stories. But, as with all stories, you have to be willing to listen. In a world where considering opposing views seems increasingly endangered, you can honor the memory of John McCain by stopping to hear the stories of others."
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