#492 In Person and Online: The Internet Equity Initiative

This event will be in person, but you can also tune in via our usual livestream. Doors open at 6pm. Announcements will start around 6:20pm CST.

In-person: TeamWorking, 20 N Upper Wacker Drive, 12th Floor, Chicago IL. Enter the Civic Opera Building using the entrance in the middle of the block between Washington and Madison streets. Take the elevators to the 12th floor.

For more information on our return to in-person events, please see our return to in person blog post.

As society increasingly relies on the Internet for work, education, health care, recreation, and many other aspects of daily life, the prevalent and persistent inequity in people’s ability to access, adopt, and use the Internet is more evident than ever. Stakeholders addressing these inequities need better information along the following three dimensions:

1. Measurement techniques, datasets, and analysis that can help address unknown questions and evaluate the effectiveness of different interventions
2. Data-driven collaborations with communities that are underserved by current Internet infrastructure to develop and evaluate different options for investment
3. Data and analysis concerning how Internet connectivity improves people’s lived experience

The Internet Equity Initiative, a flagship research initiative of the University of Chicago’s Data Science Institute, brings together stakeholders and researchers across disciplines to help address these challenges. Nick Feamster and Marc Richardson will discuss the initiative’s approach to mitigating the digital divide and showcase some of the research, toolkits, and data that the initiative has produced to date, as well as ways that you can get involved in the initiative.

RSVP In-person attendees are strongly encouraged to RSVP beforehand. As occupancy limits permit, walk-ins will be allowed to enter.

Vaccination required In order to keep attendees safe, we will be requiring proof of vaccination at the door. A physical vaccine cards or picture of one will be accepted. If you are not vaccinated, you can tune in to the livestream.

Masks required Attendees will be required to wear a mask. We will provide additional masks if you forget yours.

There will be food! We will be serving chicken, steak and veggie tacos from Atolito’s Tacos!

ASL This event will have an American Sign Language interpreter.