dr. AJW (Alicia) Takaoka

Biography

I am a Postdoctoral Researcher in AI-Convegence AIDD: Centre for Energy System Intelligence (CESI). In CESI,  I focus on meaningful partnerships, collaborations, and inclusion. Using design science, my work will advance knowledge about AI and inclusion for a just and fair energy transition. My past research cases use a gender-forward intersectional perspective to examine: 
1. research methods, 2. the Gender- Climate Change-ICT Nexus, and 3. the intersections of marginalization, mental health, and computing education.

I have taught across disciplines for over eight years at the Bachelors and Masters levels. At the Bachelors level, I taught courses in gender and women's studies, writing for science and technology, critical analysis, and skills (University of Hawai`i at Hilo and other University of Hawai`i campuses), and human-computer interaction (Chaminade University). In the Masters in Data Science program, I taught humans behind the data (University of California Berkeley). I have also formally supervised seven Masters students and informally advised three doctoral candidates while at Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).

My mission is create inclusive spaces to improve diversity in the digital landscape, and my vision is to prioritize AI safety and inclusive HCI by amplifying marginalized voices, indigenous knowledge, and the experiences of marginalized individuals by improving participatory design processes, data driven decision making, and data literacy competencies.