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W&M Public Technology Initiatives

William & Mary works diligently to offer public interest technology opportunities to students, researchers, and the community. Below are several of the initiatives that W&M has worked on.

AidData

Part of W&M’s Global Research Institute, AidData equips policymakers and practitioners with better evidence to improve how sustainable development investments are targeted, monitored, and evaluated. AidData’s interdisciplinary team works together to use a wide range of novel methods, tools, and data sources to answer questions about foreign aid flows that cut across sectors, geographies, and disciplines. Their research serves the unique needs of both the policy and academic communities, as well as acting as a bridge between the two.

William & Mary Cybersecurity Awareness Initiative

Designed by Dr. Iria Giuffrida, Professor of the Practice of Law at William & Mary Law School and Visiting Faculty for Business Law at the Raymond A. Mason School of Business and Professor Chon Abraham, Associate Professor in the Raymond A. Mason School of Business, this PIT-UN supported project is aimed at providing educational resources and experiential learning opportunities to benefit high school and college students, especially minorities (with an emphasis on minority women) who are underrepresented in the cybersecurity industry.

W&M Digital Inclusion Initiative

The W&M Digital Inclusion Initiative is led by Dr. Carrie B. Dolan, Assistant Professor of Health Sciences, and Dr. Philip Roessler, Margaret Hamilton Associate Professor of Government, both in Arts & Sciences. Their PIT-UN supported digital inclusion project focuses on health, governance, and finance, encouraging multidisciplinary research and dialogue. Included is the Digital Inclusion and Governance Lab which undertakes rigorous, policy-relevant research on the impact of digital technologies on society, politics, and the economy.

Geospatial Evaluation and Observation Lab

The Geolab seeks to empower the disempowered by increasing the diversity of those that can participate in data-driven decision-making. They do this by providing free access to critical “building block” datasets and technologies, engaging in applied and basic research at the intersection between artificial intelligence and big data, and training the next generation of leaders in the use of data for decision making activities.

Virginia Commonwealth Cyber Initiative

W&M is part of The Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI), a Virginia General Assembly-funded statewide endeavor to enhance university and college cybersecurity and related research, education, and post-graduate employment. W&M faculty in the Computer Science Department, School of Education and the Law School have been especially involved in CCI activities and conferences.

Center for Court and Legal Technology

A joint initiative of W&M Law School and the National Center for State Courts, The Center for Legal and Court Technology (CLCT) works to improve the administration of justice through appropriate technology. In addition to conducting research and providing consulting assistance in the area of courtroom and related technology, it addresses the interrelationship of law and technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity. CLCT supports a growing number of United States and foreign courts, the CLCT Court Affiliates, and works throughout the world.

Independent Research

Students and faculty conducted research on PIT issues in many different parts of the university. This includes, but is not limited to, cell phone security, traffic data systems privacy concerns, and defending against Sybil Attacks in computer science research; utilizing and studying machine learning, data collection, and security issues in government research; and data analytics and marketing technology research in the business school.