Wayne A.I. Frederick Delivers Opening Plenary Address for SICSS-Howard/Mathematica 2021
This blog post is the third of nine in a series called “The Future of Computational Social Science is Black” about SICSS-Howard/Mathematica 2021, the first Summer Institute in Computational Social Science held at a Historically Black College or University. To learn more about SICSS-H/M read the first post in the series.
We were delighted to have Dr. Wayne A.I. Frederick the seventeenth president of Howard University officially kick off the Summer Institute in Computational Social Science sponsored by Howard University and Mathematica (SICSS-H/M) on June 13th. The first SICSS to be held at a Historically Black College or University focused on the theme of countering anti-Black racism and inequity. Dr. Frederick was introduced by Calvin J. Hadley, his Senior Advisor for Strategic Initiatives and main Howard administrator to work with the Mathematica and SICSS teams.
Calvin J. Hadley
President Frederick’s opening plenary speech focused on the development and formation of technology from both an educational point of view and a social influence point of view. He emphasized the importance of “improv[ing] diversity and representation not just by numbers but by excellence under the current situation of the interconnectedness of all disciplines.” This was important to SICSS-H/M participants around the world who had a front row seat. One participant noted that she was “extremely proud that amidst the challenge of the pandemic, the institute addressed anti-Black racism and inequity while providing a space of academic growth for Black people who are underrepresented in all aspects of STEM in academia, business, research, and so much more.”
Dr. Frederick also talked about how data science and computational social science directly interact with his professional world as a surgeon and as a president of Howard. During his tenure on the federal reserve board, researchers and economists presented and stated that the inequalities in incomes and earnings were directly because of race. “For me, that’s a landmark. People will take data and recognize how much that data can be used to tell a story and then subsequently start looking for solutions” said Frederick.
“What I am here to do is to make sure that you have the confidence that the barriers will not exist because someone like myself will be advocating to remove those barriers and also give you agency.”
Dr. Wayne A.I. Frederick
Participants were encouraged by Dr. Frederick’s opening plenary both professionally and personally, appreciating his vantage point as a leader, scholar, social justice advocate, and father. One participant inquired about how he prepared to take on the Howard mantle and about the trust building process he engaged with the broader research community. Dr. Frederick’s response was, “as we go forward, what we must think of is that the disparities that have occurred….It's a collective effort with many moving parts, but we have to commit ourselves to it.” He also emphasized the importance of focusing on the experiences of exploring their work and what they are doing every day. Alongside research, he noted how Howard’s advocacy and effort are key in our pursuit of social justice and closed with a message of hope about the next generation. Frederick made time on his son’s birthday to join us and thanked us for what we would do for the world his son would inherit, “the best way that I could honor him on his birthday, in my opinion, was to make sure I was here with you.”
As we continue to thoughtfully engage more diverse voices in computational social science through SICSS, we must continue to look to long-standing leaders like Howard University and its President Wayne A.I. Frederick as well as the 25 emerging scholars from SICSS-Howard/Mathematica. If you’re interested in hearing more from Dr. Frederick, we invite you to check out the video yourself and also get to know our scholars on our website.
For more information about SICSS-Howard/Mathematica 2022 and the application procedure, check out our website. Also follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and join our email list!
About the authors
Nianyao (Amber) Du is a fourth-year undergraduate student at the University of California, Berkeley, pursuing a degree in applied math and statistics. Amber served as a research assistant and project lead, co-lab manager in the AAC&U award-winning, Berkeley based Interdisciplinary Research Group on Privacy under PhD Candidate Naniette Coleman. Amber served as an Event Assistant for SICSS-Howard/Mathematica 2021, focusing on event planning, tech support, and background research.
Naniette H. Coleman is a PhD candidate in Sociology at the University of California Berkeley and a multi-year UC-National Laboratory Graduate Fellow (Los Alamos). She is the only social scientist selected for this distinction in the history of the program. Naniette is also the founder and lead organizer of the first Summer Institute in Computational Social Science at a Historically Black College of University, SICSS-Howard/Mathematica 2021. Naniette’s work sits at the intersection of the sociology of culture and organizations and focuses on cybersecurity, surveillance, and privacy in the US context. Specifically, Naniette’s research examines how organizations assess risk, make decisions, and respond to data breaches and organizational compliance with state, federal, and international privacy laws. Naniette holds a Master of Public Administration with a specialization in Democracy, Politics, and Institutions from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and both an M.A. in Economics and a B.A. in Communication from the University at Buffalo, SUNY. A non-traditional student, Naniette’s prior professional experience includes local, state, and federal service, as well as work for two international organizations, and two universities.
