Meet Our 2024 Keynote Speakers
The 2024 UC Tech Annual Conference Planning Committee is excited to announce the keynote speakers this year will be from the University of California, Davis. Raissa D'Souza is the Associate Dean of Research for the College of Engineering and a Professor of Computer Sciences and Mechanical Aerospace Engineering. Martin Hilbert chairs the campus-wide emphasis on Computational Social Science and is a Professor of Communication. Powerhouse educators and thought leaders, Dr. D'Souza and Dr. Hilbert will provide a multidisciplinary lens to the hottest topic in tech, artificial intelligence (AI).
Keynote Address: Monday, October 28, 2024
Harnessing UC to Navigate Our Complex, Interconnected World in the Age of AI
In her keynote address, Raissa D'Souza, Associate Dean of Research for the College of Engineering and a Professor of Computer Sciences and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of California, Davis will explore how AI is permeating all aspects of modern society and introducing many new timescales and unknown dimensions to the systems at the center of our civilization. Her talk will show how the tools of non-linear dynamics and statistical physics can be used to model complex, interdependent systems, and uncover the role of timescales, tradeoffs, and incentives. She will also explore AI integrations and how we can leverage the strengths of the UC system to harness AI for the betterment of humanity from advancing human health to green data centers embodying collaboration for transformation.
- About Raissa D'Souza
- Raissa D’Souza holds a PhD in Statistical Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and completed postdoctoral fellowships at Bell Laboratories and Microsoft Research. She is a Fellow of both the American Physical Society and the Network Science Society. Throughout her impressive career, D’Souza has received numerous accolades, including best paper and test-of-time awards, as well as the inaugural Euler Award from the Network Science Society. She has served as the President of the Network Science Society and as a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council of Complex Systems. She is also an External Professor at the Santa Fe Institute. Click here to learn more about Professor D'Souza's research.
Keynote Address: Tuesday, October 29, 2024
AI Unleashed: Navigating Boundless Intelligence & Existential Risks — Choosing Our Future
In his keynote address, Martin Hilbert, University of California, Davis Professor of Communication and chair of the campus-wide emphasis on Computational Social Science, will explore how generative Artificial Intelligence (genAI) has taken our digital reality by storm—offering an unprecedented boost in human productivity, while also simultaneously throwing Homo sapiens into an identity crisis. As knowledge automation finds its way into our various sectors, from education to politics, Hilbert will explore emerging opportunities and challenges.
How can you position yourself to be part of this revolution? What could go wrong?
- About Martin Hilbert
- Martin Hilbert holds doctorates in Economics and Social Sciences and Communication. At UC Davis he studies the role of digital information and algorithms in complex social systems. Hilbert’s work in communication, public policy, and popular media are known internationally. Before joining UC Davis, he created and coordinated the Information Society Programme of United Nationals Regional Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. He has written several books about digital technology for international development and published in recognized academic journals. He also speaks five languages and has lived on four continents. Read more about Professor Hilbert’s accomplishments and contributions to society on his website.