Calling all undergraduate students!
The Responsible Data Science and AI Student Scholars Program is an extracurricular initiative for undergraduate students interested in exploring data and technology with a focus on people, communities, and social good.
This program is designed for students who are interested in applying their unique experiences and academic backgrounds to collaborative learning about the societal impact of data and technology and responsible practices.
About the Student Scholars Program
Students from the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences all bring important and necessary perspectives to the exploration of data and technology for social good.
Through participation in this learning experience, you will develop an understanding of what characterizes responsible data science and AI work across various domains and sectors. Together, we will explore responsible data science and AI through readings, guest speakers, and discussions. In small groups, you will apply this knowledge by researching responsible practices at a specific stage of the data or AI lifecycle and creating a framework to help people navigate the responsibility issues at that stage.
Through this program, students will:
- Develop individual understandings of responsible engagement with technology and data
- Collaborate with an interdisciplinary cohort of Pitt students
- Examine dimensions of responsible data science and AI through readings
- Apply critical thinking skills to data science and AI case studies and contexts
- Develop communication and presentation skills
- Synthesize learning to a large audience (poster presentations at the DataSci+AI Forum, April 2027)
Application and Stipend
We invite applications from Pitt undergraduates by Thursday October 1, 2026, 11:59pm. Up to 10 students will be accepted by October 9, 2026. Organizers may request interviews with applicants during the week of October 5 (Monday through Wednesday). The first meeting will be October 16.
The application review team will use the following criteria to make acceptance decisions: 1. Representation from different majors, departments, and schools; 2. Thoughtfulness and originality of application responses; 3. Ability to participate in the fall and spring sessions and DataSci+AI Forum 2027.
The Student Scholars will receive a $600 stipend for participating in this learning community in Fall 2026 and another $600 for successfully completing the program in Spring 2027 and presenting during DataSci+AI Forum
Participation Requirements
Student Scholars are expected to:
- Participate in learning and work sessions in Academic Year 2026–2027. These sessions are in-person and take place from 1 to 3 p.m., with the exception of April 9 and 23.
- Kick-off meeting: October 16
- October 30
- November 13
- December 4
- January 15
- January 29
- February 12
- February 26
- March 19
- April 2
- April 9, 12pm: Celebration Lunch with HAIL Graduate Awardees
- April 16: Practice work session for DataSci+AI Forum
- April 23, time to be determined: DataSci+AI Forum
- In a small team, research responsible practices at a specific stage of the data or AI lifecycle and develop a framework for evaluating and conducting responsible work at that stage. Our sessions will allow for work sessions and sharing and feedback time.
- Share experiences as a Responsible Data Science and AI Student Scholar, your evolving understandings of responsible data science and AI, and your framework at the culminating DataSci+AI Forum.
- Attend recommended events on responsible data science and AI.
- Complete readings and pre-work prior to sessions.
Please apply using the Qualtrics application.