Behind all of the for-loops, variable declarations and interfaces of programming, there is an even more real potential for impact in our society, one that can benefit even the most marginalized and overlooked groups.
As a computer science and public policy double major, I have spent a significant amount of time thinking about the reasons why I sit for hours behind a laptop either coding sushi-restaurant simulations (my COMP 401 peers will understand and probably shudder) or doing research about international health and human rights for a policy analysis paper. As tedious as I might find these endeavors, I want to find a way to merge these two interests and act upon the tools I have been privileged to learn in my higher education.
During my research in 2019, I met many displaced persons and learned of the courageous sacrifices they’ve made in order to survive despite the xenophobia and socioeconomic barriers they experienced. I was reminded of the importance of my work — the reality that the technology I was contributing to with Shifra and Techfugees could significantly impact the public health of migrants and refugees in Paris.
“We survive, and that’s it,” one refugee told me. Imagine if the creation of artificial intelligence, smartphones and secure data collection — like that conducted by Shifra to direct its refugee users to trusted clinics and health networks — could make that experience easier.
We should continue pushing for spaces to explore these possibilities at institutions of higher education like UNC. Course curriculum, especially that of our computer science department, should include topics that expand beyond just discrete mathematics and data structures. I would love to see classes named “Computational Data for Effective Diplomacy,” or “Ethical Engineering” or even “Technology for Human Rights.”
I’m being a bit creative with the names, but these are the types of multidisciplinary subjects that can alter our perceptions of the world and our ability to change it for the better. I firmly believe that technology is intersectional; it embraces change, impact and different world views.
If (technology === power) {print “let’s use it for human rights.”}
