Kiki is currently in the BS in Interdisciplinary Studies program.
Where are you from originally?
I am from New Jersey and currently live in Philadelphia.
What’s something people would be surprised to find out about you?
I joined the military when I was 17 years old and lived abroad. I got an apprenticeship opportunity in Pennsylvania, so I moved back to the U.S. and landed in Philadelphia. Now I love Philadelphia and plan to stay for a while.
What is the best part of your studies?
One of the best parts about my studies is that many of my courses include students from a variety of majors, so I get to learn interesting facts and challenges about the medical, health and design fields which helps broaden my understanding of what is happening in the world.
How does Interdisciplinary Studies help you accomplish your goals?
Interdisciplinary Studies is helping me accomplish my goals by allowing me to tailor the courses I take to align with my interest and career goals.
Tell us about your concentration and a project you are working on.
My concentration is Design Ethics. I am working on a paper that focuses on applying ethical practices to businesses that use AI for decision making. Many businesses are now relying on AI to select candidates for jobs. This causes challenges for people because AI is developed by people who have biases, so therefore AI is not neutral. I think businesses should be required to release an AI transparency report that includes the AI they use to aid in decision making and the parameter set on the AI that determines how the AI selects and denies candidates. These reports will expose bad practices and language that businesses use that intentionally or unintentionally contribute to the discrimination against minorities in the job market.
What is your career goal?
I love sharing knowledge and I think being an educator is an important role, so my goal is to become an ethics professor. People’s morals are a major factor in how we shape our society and how people view and treat others. Many people journey through life with the values they were taught from their family, without ever questioning them or considering how their morals affect others. When I took my first ethics class at Jefferson my view of the world had changed, and I evaluated how my actions and mindset aligned with my morals and I became more conscious of the world. I would love for others to have the same experience and realizations that I had.