معرفی
Desmond Upton Patton is the Brian and Randi Schwartz University Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, with joint appointments in the School of Social Policy & Practice and Annenberg School for Communication, and a secondary appointment in the Department of Psychiatry at the Perelman School of Medicine. His work bridges social work, data science, and digital sociology to address issues like social media's impact on marginalized communities, AI bias, and violence prevention.
Education: B.A., University of North Carolina at Greensboro (2004); M.S.W., University of Michigan (2006); Ph.D., University of Chicago (2012).
Research focuses on social media's role in trauma, grief, and violence among Black and Hispanic youth. He developed the Contextual Analysis of Social Media (CASM) methodology to address cultural biases in AI. Key projects include studying grief pathways on Twitter, digital mourning practices, and algorithmic equity in child welfare systems.
Notable awards include the Deborah K. Padgett Early Career Achievement Award (2018) and fellowships at Harvard's Berkman Klein Center and the Harvard Kennedy School. He advises platforms like Twitter and Spotify on safety and bias.
Grants include an NSF-funded program supporting STEM researchers from underrepresented backgrounds. He directs SAFELab, which explores digital safety and equity. Courses taught include 'Advocacy in Emergent Technology' and 'Journey to Joy: Designing a Happier Life.'
Future work emphasizes AI ethics, inclusive tech policy, and leveraging community insights to shape equitable digital tools.
