Dr. Daniel C. Andreae President's Lecture on the Future of Work
Inaugural lecture explores racial bias in technology
The Institute for Education Research (TIER) is launching a new lecture series with a timely talk on how the digital technologies we are developing today mirror the racial hierarchies and segregation that surround us. As the inaugural lecturer in the Dr. Daniel C. Andreae Distinguished President's Lecture: Future of the Work series, Princeton University Associate Professor and sociologist Ruha Benjamin will share insights from her latest book, Race After Technology, which examines how we continue to embed racial biases and inequality in technology, how we should analyze that, and how we can correct it.
"We are incredibly grateful to have Dr. Ruha Benjamin as the inaugural speaker for the lecture series," says TIER Director Dr. Nikki Woods. "Her work sits at that intersection of science, sociology and healthcare. This is exactly where we need to be in order to move this important conversation forward."
The Dr. Daniel C. Andreae Distinguished President's Lecture is a signature, endowed annual lecture series that features a distinguished speaker with a unique and important perspective related to educating for the future of the health professions. It is supported by Dr. Dan Andreae, himself an award-winning professor and Fellow of Renison University College, University of Waterloo. Through his work and philanthropy, he has supported causes that include: eye, autism and dementia research; cancer care robotics; advocacy on behalf of the social work profession; nursing fellowships; and eating disorders. He is also a member of the Michener Institute of Education at UHN Board of Governors.
The lecture series also invites students at the School of Applied Health Sciences and Research Trainees at UHN to apply for two Dr. Daniel C. Andreae Awards related to the topic of the coming year's lecture, giving them an opportunity to both shine and connect with a thought leader in an area of interest related to how we learn and teach for our lifetime.
Launched in 2019, TIER is one of seven institutes within the University Health Network (UHN) research family with a unique mission: to bridge theoretical and applied research, clinical practice and education to continually probe, think and push forward for better care. TIER welcomes researchers and partners from across the health care continuum and the university and college sectors, to provide a fulsome view on health care education. As a hub for experts to come together, incubate ideas and leverage expertise, TIER is shining a light on an under-researched field to develop the future of Canada’s health care professionals.
"Our job is to produce the healthcare providers of the future," adds Dr. Woods. "To do that work well, it's important we understand the evolving social and technological environment in which our students will be practicing."
Dr. Benjamin is an Associate Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University, where she studies the social dimensions of science, technology and medicine. She is also the founder of the IDA B. WELLS Just Data Lab and the author of two books, People's Science (Stanford) and Race After Technology (Polity), and editor of Captivating Technology (Duke). She writes, teaches, and speaks widely about the relationship between knowledge and power, race and citizenship, health and justice.