Image
UVA Research Group Examining AI and Job Recruitment Expands
Sloane Lab, a research team led by Mona Sloane, an assistant professor of data science and media studies at the University of Virginia, that is exploring how artificial intelligence is impacting society will soon add a key member to its roster.
Sloane announced that Ellen Simpson, who recently received a Ph.D. in information science from the University of Colorado, has been hired as the group’s first postdoctoral researcher to further research on how AI is changing how people gain access to the labor market.
Sloane, who holds a dual appointment with UVA’s Department of Media Studies, is working with Roshni Raveendhran, an assistant professor of business administration with UVA’s Darden School of Business, and Sarah Lebovitz, an assistant professor at the McIntire School, on the project.
The study is funded through the Darden-Data Science Collaboratory for Applied Data Science (DCADS) research fellowship program.
“I am very excited that Dr. Ellen Simpson is joining Sloane Lab,” Sloane said. “At the School of Data Science, we are focused on conducting cutting-edge research on data science and the real social world, and Dr. Simpson brings just the right skill set and experience to help us do that in the context of AI and recruiting.”
Simpson’s research analyzes how sociotechnical systems impact the everyday lives of people and their routines, with a focus on developing community-driven solutions that enhance the experience of individuals who operate within these systems.
Her work has been published by leading peer-reviewed computing venues and journals, and she received an award for best paper at the 2023 International Conference on Supporting Group Work.
Simpson is eager to apply her experience and expertise at UVA, working alongside Sloane, Lebovitz, and Raveendhran.
“I’m thrilled at the opportunity to join the Sloane Lab and this project,” Simpson said. “With AI increasingly being integrated into people’s experiences obtaining access to the labor market, gaining insight into AI’s impacts has been top of mind for me. I am excited to contribute to this growing conversation in collaboration with Dr. Sloane, Dr. Raveendhran, and Dr. Lebovitz.”
Sloane was one of two School of Data Science faculty members to receive a DCADS research fellowship last year, along with Tom Hartvigsen, also an assistant professor.
Her project will examine several key areas pertaining to AI and recruiting, including how the technology is being incorporated into recruitment practices and how managers are considering the implications for biases with the use of AI tools.
