How long have you been working in technology policy?I initially got interested in AI governance while working as a data scientist in the tech industry (starting around 2016). When I started building machine learning models, I ran up against ethical concerns almost immediately and felt that companies didn't yet have a coherent framework for dealing with them.
As my career progressed in data science, I realized that preventing and mitigating the harms of AI systems that have arisen so frequently is not merely a technical problem. Solving these issues in the tech industry requires coordinating many people within companies with different constraints, incentives, and personal value systems coming into play. I joined the CITP at Princeton to research how the dynamics that influence what technology organizations do impact their AI risk mitigation strategies.
What is the best book you’ve read recently? Maybe not the best, but I recently read and enjoyed the controversial popular political science book The Identity Trap by Yascha Mounk. My husband and I listened to the audiobook on a Thanksgiving road trip to Big Bend National Park. The book deals with identity-related topics that have animated progressives over the last few years. I found the book interesting because I hold some of the views about the centrality of identity to one's views about the world that Mounk problematizes. On the other hand, I have also engaged in intellectual communities and activist circles where these same ideas felt counterproductive for discourse. I agreed with some parts of Mounk's argument, disagreed with others, and felt ambivalent about the rest, an ideal mix for challenging my thinking and assumptions.
What is your fandom? I'm a huge fan of baking. During the pandemic, I tried to replicate a recipe for dinner rolls my grandmother used to make, but my family has yet to reproduce it successfully. Using the same instincts I use as a scientist, I made the recipe repeatedly, tweaking one variable and then observing the result. Since then, I've extended this approach to many other recipes. Over the last two months alone, I have probably made at least 20 loaves of ciabatta and hundreds of buttermilk biscuits. I also make the best French macaron in Austin; I will die on this hill.
What is the most recent cultural activity you've been to? I'm also a huge fan of horror movies. This year, I purchased a season pass to the Alamo Drafthouse, which often screens old horror movies throughout September and October. I got to watch some terrific films of the horror canon, such as Frankenstein and The Shining, on a big screen, which was terrific.
Dogs or cats? I'm a big dog person. I just started volunteering at Austin Pets Alive!, helping with the dogs in the shelter there. But, over the last few years, I have also developed a bit of a fondness for cats. Many people in my neighborhood have outdoor cats, so my husband and I have gotten to know several. We have a scratching post outside our door, which we often coat with catnip, and we put out treats from time to time. A few days ago, though, we also discovered a possum eating out of our treat dish, so apparently, we have been attracting more than just cats!
