Ghana: Joy Adowaa Buolamwini, the computer scientist committed to ending biases in softwares

Ghanaian-born Joy Adowaa Buolamwini is a computer scientist and digital activist committed to combating biases in softwares through her organization, Algorithmic Justice League.

Digital activist Joy Adowaa Buolamwini works to end discrimination and biases in softwares. It was during her research at the MIT Media Lab that the computer scientist identified biases in algorithms. She conducted an experiment, showing 1,000 faces to a facial identification system to see if it was able to determine whether the faces were male or female. She found out that the software had difficulty correctly identifying dark-skinned female faces. She then published the results of her study, entitled « Gender Shades », which prompted IBM and Microsoft to respond by deciding to improve their software.

In addition to publishing her work, she created Aspire Mirror, a device that offers a reflection of oneself based on what inspires us. In 2016, she also launched the program, Algorithmic Justice League, which aims to identify biases in codes that can lead to discrimination against certain underrepresented categories. In this context, she leads several initiatives. She organizes workshops, produces films and documentaries, like “Code4rights”, “Algorithmic justice league: Unmasking bias”.

In 2017, she participated in the “Search for hidden figures” competition organized by Pepsi Co and 21st Century Fox. With her film “Hidden Figures”, based on her research work, she won the Grand Prize in the professional category.

Born in Canada and raised in Mississippi, Joy Adowaa Buolamwini has been passionate about technology since a young age. At just 9 years old, she taught herself the XHTML, Javascript, and PHP languages. For her undergraduate degree, she studied computer science at the Georgia Technology Institute. As a Rhodes Scholar, she studied learning and technology at the University of Oxford. In 2017, she earned a Master’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

In 2018, she was named one of the BBC’s 100 Women. That same year, Forbes included her in its ranking of “America’s Top 50 Women in Technology.”