Michelle Trim

Michelle Trim serves as Senior Lecturer II and Informatics Program Director at the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences (CICS) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She teaches foundational courses including INFO 101: Introduction to Informatics, CICS 305: Social Issues in Computing (which satisfies the Junior Year Writing requirement), and CS 508: Ethical Considerations in Computing. Trim was recently selected for the 2024-25 UMass Amherst Chancellor's Leadership Fellows cohort and the inaugural Mid-American Conference Academic Leadership Development Program.

Education:

• Graduate Advanced Certificate (M.S. expected Fall 2024), Data Analytics and Computational Social Science, University of Massachusetts Amherst
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and Technical Communication, Michigan Technology University (Areas of focus: Technical Communication; Rhetoric; Composition Pedagogy; Theories of Technology; Critical Theory)
• M.A., Rhetoric and Composition (English), Miami University of Ohio (Areas of focus: Composition Pedagogy; Rhetoric; Computers and Composition)
• B.A., Professional Writing; English; Minor Women's Studies, Purdue University

Trim's research centers on ethical computing, social justice, and inclusive education. Her work critically examines how technology impacts marginalized communities and advocates for responsible innovation that prioritizes social outcomes over technological determinism. She challenges the myth of objectivity in computing through critical theory frameworks, emphasizing power dynamics in technology development. Her teaching philosophy integrates feminist pedagogy to foster ethical awareness among future technologists, particularly focusing on how writing and communication practices shape technological development.

Trim's publication record shows a consistent trajectory toward examining the societal implications of computing technologies, with recent work focusing on responsible AI, environmental justice in technology, and data ethics. Her scholarship increasingly emphasizes intersectional approaches to technology ethics, connecting gender, race, and economic justice with technical practice. This evolution reflects broader shifts in the field toward recognizing computing as a social-technical endeavor rather than a purely technical one.

Recognition:

• ACM Senior Member (2023)
• ADVANCE Peer Faculty Mentor Award for CICS (Spring 2021)
• CICS College Outstanding Teaching Award (AY 2019-2020)
• Nominated for University Distinguished Teaching Award (multiple years)
• Teaching for Inclusiveness, Diversity and Equity Ambassador ($1500 award, 2016)

As a dedicated mentor, Trim has advised numerous undergraduate researchers and honors students across multiple institutions. She secured significant external funding including a $1.5 million NSF S-STEM grant to support high economic need students in data science and a $90,000 New America Public Interest Technology Challenge grant for her Classics and Informatics Data Literacy Partnership. Her leadership extends to departmental and university committees focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as serving as Chair of ACM SIGCAS (Special Interest Group for Computers And Society) from 2023-2026.