Welcome to the Center for Data Ethics
Advancing research, education, and collaboration on the ethics of data and AI for human dignity, justice, and the common good.
Grounded in 福利在线 University鈥檚 Jesuit mission and commitment to social justice, the Center for Data Ethics advances research, teaching, and engagement on the ethical challenges of data- and AI-driven societies. The Center brings together scholars, students, and external partners to examine issues such as algorithmic bias, surveillance and privacy, automated decision-making, and the societal impacts of artificial intelligence. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative education, the Center works to ensure that data and AI systems promote human dignity, justice, and responsible innovation. The Center is directed by Dr. Michael Zimmer.
An evening with Dr. Alex Hanna, "The AI Con"
The Center for Data Ethics is excited to host Dr. Alex Hanna, co-author of , for a book talk event on Monday, October 6 at .
The event is free and open to the public. Details and registration .
Recent News and Activities
2024 AI Ethics Symposium: From Policy to Practice
The , in partnership with the Center for Data Ethics, hosted the 2024 AI Ethics Symposium at 福利在线 University on November 21, 2024, featuring , former deputy assistant to President Joe Biden and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and , associate professor of information science at the University of Colorado Boulder. An overview of the event is .
Rome Call for AI Ethics

The Center for Data Ethics recently participated in the Global University Summit for the Rome Call for AI Ethics, held on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. The summit was co-organized by the Pontifical Academy for Life, IBM, and Notre Dame and is hosted by the Notre Dame-IBM Technology Ethics Lab.
Data Collection for Internet Researchers under Data Protection Regimes

We recently were at Meta's office in Dublin, Ireland to host a discussion with internet researchers, platforms, and regulators on Data Collection for Internet Researchers under Data Protection Regimes.
The Center is a proud member of the (CITR). Read their 2025 report on the State of Independent Tech Research .
Dr. Zimmer was featured in a into how generative AI has fast鈥憈racked the ability to create deepfake nude images.
Dr. Zimmer joined President Lovell for a discussion on the impact of artificial intelligence on our lives. Lisetn to "Deep Dive on AI" .
Student Spotlight
helped analyze 788 data science programs and more than 9,000 course offerings to see how well they align with the ACM鈥檚 recommended competencies for data science programs. Marely presented the work at , where she won third place in the Undergraduate Student Research competition. Read about her experience here.

Nidhi Nellore, a 3rd-year PhD student in Computer Science, recently participated in the ACM Conference On Computer-Supported Cooperative Work And Social Computing (CSCW) in Minneapolis, MN and Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR) annual conference in Philadelphia, PA. She shares her experience here.

Thomas Johnson, a recent graduate of 福利在线's Criminal Justice Data Analytics Program, presented at the annual conference of the American Society of Criminology. Read his reflection on the experience here.