*Distinguished University of Toronto faculty members* ***Beth Coleman*** *(left) and* ***Anna Su*** *(right) will take on the roles of Schwartz Reisman Institute research leads in Fall 2023, while* ***Kelly Lyons*** *(centre) will be appointed one of three SRI associate directors.*

The Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society is pleased to announce the appointment of three distinguished University of Toronto faculty members to SRI’s research leadership team in the fall of 2023. Beth Coleman, Kelly Lyons, and Anna Su will bring their expertise and innovative research to further advancing the Institute's mission of exploring the complex interplay between technology and society and ensuring powerful tools like AI are developed responsibly to benefit all of humanity.

Coleman and Su will both take on the role of one of SRI’s research leads, while Lyons will be appointed one of three associate directors (who also act as research leads). Concurrently, outgoing Associate Director Lisa Austin will transition to faculty affiliate status to focus on her upcoming residency at Harvard University's Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, while former SRI Research Lead Avery Slater has become an SRI faculty fellow.

Beth Coleman’s work in science and technology studies, media and cultural studies, and critical race theory explores how advanced automation shapes societies, communication, and social dynamics. In particular, Coleman's interdisciplinary approach focuses on smart technology and machine learning in urban data, civic engagement, and interactive agents. A visiting senior researcher with Google as well as a Google Artists + Machine Intelligence awardee, she brings critical and creative engagement to research on AI and society. At SRI, Coleman is a founding member with Lisa Austin and Research Lead David Lie of the Trusted Data Sharing group. In her new role at SRI, she will embark on a number of collaborative projects exploring human and machine learning (ML) collaboration, inclusive languages in LLMs, and trust in human-ML engagement.

Coleman is an associate professor of data and cities at the University of Toronto’s Institute of Communication, Culture, Information and Technology and Faculty of Information, and previously served as a faculty affiliate with SRI. Coleman's appointment to SRI’s research leadership team will further strengthen the Institute's commitment to understanding the broader implications of advanced automation technologies on society. Coleman was recently profiled on the U of T podcast “What Now?” where she discusses smart cities and as well as on the Groundbreakers series for her work as founding director of the Black Research Network Institutional Strategic Initiative.

An expert in human-computer interaction (HCI) and information science, Kelly Lyons’ research focuses on the design and evaluation of interactive systems, with a particular emphasis on accessibility, inclusivity, and user experience. She investigates social platforms as enablers for service system interactions, and her research interests also include knowledge mobilization, data science, social media, collaborative work, and software engineering. Her work has been instrumental in shaping the field of HCI, ensuring that technology is developed with a human-centric approach. Lyons' leadership will drive the Institute's efforts to create technology that benefits all members of society and fosters digital equity.

Lyons is a professor at U of T’s Faculty of Information with a cross-appointment in the Department of Computer Science, and recently served as Acting Vice-Dean of Research and Program Innovation at the School of Graduate Studies. Having served as a faculty affiliate at SRI, Lyons now takes on a key leadership role at the Institute. In the past year, she supported SRI initiatives including acting as host for the six-part Women in AI speaker series co-organized by SRI and Deloitte.

Anna Su is a legal scholar with expertise in international human rights in the digital age as well as technology and international law. Having held the role of faculty fellow at SRI, she is now an incoming research lead who will steer the research directions of the institute with her experience in the social sciences and humanities. Su’s research delves into the legal implications of emerging technologies such as AI and interrogates what their implications are for human rights. Su's work has significant implications for shaping regulatory frameworks and promoting responsible AI innovation. Under Su’s leadership, the Institute will continue to play a critical role in guiding policymakers and industry leaders towards a technology landscape that aligns with societal values and ethical principles.

Su is an associate professor at the Faculty of Law and holds a cross-appointment to the Department of History. During her time at SRI so far, Su has participated as a speaker at the Institute’s annual academic conference, Absolutely Interdisciplinary, where her presentation explored how the terms and conditions set by private sovereigns are shaping our digital public spaces, and why human rights offer a robust framework to regulating and governing digital spaces. Su also taught a course in 2022–23 called “New Technologies and International Law,” which she developed as part of her SRI faculty fellowship. The course was co-taught by Dafna Dror-Shpoliansky, who participated in a 2021 SRI Kitchen Table event moderated by Su and SRI Faculty Affiliate Wendy H. Wong.

The addition of Coleman, Lyons, and Su to the SRI leadership team will drive groundbreaking research initiatives and contribute to a more informed and responsible integration of technology into human life. Please join SRI in welcoming these stellar scholars to their new roles and in supporting their efforts to advance our mission of exploring the profound impact of technology on society.