Wells Lucas Santo (he/she/they) is a PhD student returning to academia after five years in the non-profit education and equity space, where he built inclusive, accessible, and culturally relevant curricula about artificial intelligence (AI) and social justice for underrepresented high school students. He has worked as the National Director of Education at SMASH, was the original Education Manager at AI4ALL, and serves as an Advisory Board Member of the AI4K12 initiative; in these capacities, he has spoken about the societal implications of AI at venues such as the United Nations Youth Assembly, the Annual oSTEM Conference, and top universities across the United States. His current research focuses on the disparate impact that algorithmic technologies have on marginalized communities, centering race, gender, sexuality, and power, using frameworks like critical race theory, intersectional feminism, and transformative justice.

Pronouns

he/she/they

Areas of interest

Critical AI; AI justice; race, gender, and sexuality and technology; critical race and digital studies

Education

BS, New York University, Computer Engineering
Minor: Science and Society Studies

MS, New York University, Computer Science
Concentration: Artificial Intelligence