iai March 2025

iai@dgp.toronto.edu

1 participants
2 discussions

Fwd: Critical Computing Seminar (March 21): "Reconfiguring for Impact: Reflections on Community-based Design" by Aakash Gautam
by Ishtiaque Ahmed 17 Mar '25

17 Mar '25

Deal All, The next Critical Computing Seminar is on March 21. Please find details below. Best Regards, Ishtiaque == Dr. Syed Ishtiaque Ahmed Associate Professor Department of Computer Science The University of Toronto Ph: +1 647 220 3482 (mobile) Bahen Centre for Information Technology, Room 5262 Saint George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 2E4, Canada Website <https://www.ishtiaque.net/%20> || Google Calendar <https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/embed?src=ishtiaque.uoft@gmail.com…> || ORCID ID <https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2452-0687> || Semantic Web <https://www.semanticscholar.org/author/Syed-Ishtiaque-Ahmed/145867840> == ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Priyank Chandra <priyank.chandra(a)utoronto.ca> Date: Mon, Mar 17, 2025 at 3:06 PM Subject: Critical Computing Seminar (March 21): "Reconfiguring for Impact: Reflections on Community-based Design" by Aakash Gautam To: faculty-all(a)ischool.utoronto.ca <faculty-all(a)ischool.utoronto.ca>, technoscienceunit-internal(a)googlegroups.com < technoscienceunit-internal(a)googlegroups.com> Cc: Shion Guha <shion.guha(a)utoronto.ca>, Ishtiaque Ahmed < ishtiaque(a)cs.toronto.edu>, Robert Soden <robert.soden(a)utoronto.ca>, Ashique Thuppilikkat <ashique.thuppilikkat(a)mail.utoronto.ca>, Siddhant Shinde < sid.shinde(a)mail.utoronto.ca> Dear All, We are pleased to invite you to the Critical Computing Seminar on March 21, 2025, at 11:00 AM. Prof. Aakash Gautam from the University of Pittsburgh, will deliver a talk, “Reconfiguring for Impact: Reflections on Community-based Design." The seminar will take place in the Learning Hub, 4th Floor, Bissell Building. Please register at: https://bit.ly/4iD40SM, to help us plan for refreshments. *Abstract:* In this talk, Prof. Aakash Gautam will reflect on two participatory technology design projects --- one in Nepal and one in the U.S. --- that engage with and support marginalized communities. The first project involved co-designing computing resources with an anti-sex trafficking organization and survivors living in a shelter home. The second, an ongoing multi-site effort, is a collaboration with nonprofit organizations that assist formerly incarcerated individuals (returning citizens) in their re- entry journey. While the contexts differ, commonalities exist around the prevalence of stigma, structural challenges, and the optimism as well as limits of technology in changing the condition. These projects have yielded insights on assets-based design and methodological considerations to promote agency and power in complex social contexts. Prof. Gautam will then take a critical turn to examine two fundamental questions: What is the right thing to do? and Have we done it? Questions around the tangible impact of these projects and whether the academic contributions meaningfully translate into public good remain open. Through this reflection, Prof. Gautam hopes to prompt a discussion on the values that guide community-based design and explore ways to bridge the gap between academic output and community-driven change. *Bio:* Prof. Aakash Gautam is an assistant professor with dual appointments in the Department of Computer Science and the Department of Information Culture and Data Stewardship. He completed his Ph.D. from Virginia Tech in 2021 for which he received the SIGCHI Outstanding Dissertation award. He is interested in designing socio-technical approaches to supporting dignity, well-being, and the collective capacity of marginalized communities. Learn more about him and his work at https://aakash.xyz/. *Time:* 21 March 2025, 11AM - 1PM *Location:* Learning Hub, 4th Floor, Claude T. Bissell Building, 140 St George St, Toronto, ON M5S 3G6 *Registration:* https://bit.ly/4iD40SM Regards Priyank Chandra Assistant Professor, Faculty of Information Director, STREET Lab <http://www.streetlab.tech/> University of Toronto http://www.priyankc.com This email is not secure.

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Fwd: my upcoming book event in Toronto!
by Ishtiaque Ahmed 01 Mar '25

01 Mar '25

Hello Everyone, Many of you may find Oliver's work interesting and may consider attending this event. Best Regards, Ishtiaque == Dr. Syed Ishtiaque Ahmed Associate Professor Department of Computer Science The University of Toronto Ph: +1 647 220 3482 (mobile) Bahen Centre for Information Technology, Room 5262 Saint George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 2E4, Canada Website <https://www.ishtiaque.net/%20> || Google Calendar <https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/embed?src=ishtiaque.uoft@gmail.com…> || ORCID ID <https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2452-0687> || Semantic Web <https://www.semanticscholar.org/author/Syed-Ishtiaque-Ahmed/145867840> == ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Oliver Haimson <haimson(a)umich.edu> Date: Fri, Feb 28, 2025 at 1:05 PM Subject: my upcoming book event in Toronto! To: Syed%20Ishtiaque%20Ahmed%20 <ishtiaque(a)cs.toronto.edu> Hi Ishtiaque, I hope all is well with you. I wanted to reach out and let you know that I’ll be coming to your area soon for a book event! The event will be at 140 St. George Street, Toronto, Learning Hub, 4th floor (Claude Bissell Building) in Toronto on Monday, March 10 at 3pm. Here's the link to the event: https://sds.utoronto.ca/events/book-talk-trans-technologies-with-professor-… It would be great to see you if you’ll be around! And I’d love your help in spreading the word to others who may be interested :) Oliver [image: Toronto Trans Technologies, Book talk.png] -- Oliver Haimson, Ph.D. Assistant Professor University of Michigan School of Information pronouns: he/him oliverhaimson.com My new book *Trans Technologies <https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262551861/trans-technologies/>* (MIT Press) is out now!

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