The virtual networking event, which was jointly organised by bidt, CAIS and the Weizenbaum Institute, focused this time on the topic of “Diversity in digital transformation”. For the first time, the Hans Bredow Institute was also involved in the event as a cooperation partner.
Prof Dr Hanna Krasnova, Director of Junior Researcher Development at the Weizenbaum Institute, welcomed the participants from 11 countries and 4 continents. In her welcome address, she emphasised the importance of diversity as a driving force in the development of digital innovations and as the basis for digital participation.
In her keynote speech, Franziska Benning, Internal Lawyer at HateAid gGmbH, presented the work of the non-profit organisation, which is dedicated to combating hate online and supports those affected with free advice.
In the subsequent eight parallel sessions on various key topics of digital transformation – three of them on the focus topic – the doctoral students and postdocs presented their research projects and received feedback from experts from the participating research institutions.
Further project presentations by the participants followed in the afternoon as part of virtual open spaces, which were also used for networking. In two workshops on the topics of “Dealing with hate speech for scientists” and “Designing inclusive workplaces”, the young researchers were able to acquire practice-oriented skills for their own everyday work.
The day concluded with a multi-faceted panel discussion on “Intersectional Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence”, organised by the Hans Bredow Institute. The guests, Junior Professor Dr Katrin Köppert (Leipzig University of Fine Arts), Pia Sombetzki (AlgorithmWatch) and Dr Nakeema Stefflbauer (Frauenloop), discussed the inherent prejudices in AI technologies, the resulting discrimination of marginalised groups and the possibilities of preventing this, for example through legal regulation and a changed selection of AI training data.
The organisers of the DigiMeet from bidt, CAIS and WI were very satisfied with the great response to the event and the breadth of the research topics presented. Next year, the co-operative event for young researchers is to be held again as a face-to-face seminar (DigiSem).