Race in Science, Technology, and Medicine

What are the roles of race and racism in science, technology, and medicine? How do race and racism affect the design and social impact of technology, broadly defined? Can new or different technology help to reduce racial bias?

Co-sponsored by 19 different departments and programs across campus, this three-quarter sequence virtually brings together Black, Indigenous and other scholars and professionals of color (BIPOC) from around the nation to explore the intersections of race, racism and scientific practice and to share their personal experiences. Invited speakers talk candidly about how they design their work for equity and for justice. The series addresses the role of race in such issues as energy infrastructure, nuclear arms control, algorithmic accountability, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and synthetic biology.

The three-course series includes: STS 51A Race in Science (fall 2020), STS 51B Race in Technology (winter 2021), and STS 51C Race in Medicine (spring 2021). Each course can be taken independently. Talks take a variety of forms, ranging from panel discussions to interviews and lectures. Weekly assignments: read a related article and participate in an online discussion. Anyone with an SUNET ID can register to watch the individual talks (see below for registration links).