Joseph Kenny

Joseph Kenny is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University at Buffalo's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. He also serves as Associate Director of the AI and Society Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science.

• PhD in Societal Computing, Carnegie Mellon University (2016)
• MS in Societal Computing, Carnegie Mellon University (2012)
• BS in Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University (2010)

His research bridges computational methods with social equity, focusing on stereotype dynamics, algorithmic bias in child welfare systems, and Twitter-based social behavior analysis. Current projects include machine learning models to predict Chafee service allocation, neighborhood change prediction frameworks, and tools for analyzing social identity in online discourse.

Recent publications span interdisciplinary topics like partisan exposure patterns, geospatial disparities in disaster response, and computational models of gender inequality. He leads the Computation and Equity Lab (cubelab), which emphasizes values such as meaningful work addressing social inequality, respect for lived experiences, and balanced work-life integration.

Scientific contributions include:

• UB Exceptional Scholar—Young Investigator Award (2021)
• Pioneering methods for Twitter bio analysis and misinformation detection
• Developing explainable GeoAI tools for urban equity
• Creating frameworks for fair predictive modeling in child welfare
• Advancing computational approaches to stereotype dynamics

Students working with him engage in projects combining computer science with social justice, with recent advisees placing at institutions like Michigan (PhD), Amazon, and Meta.