[Commlist] 1 post at the Institute for AI and Beyond of the University of Tokyo

The University of Tokyo is looking for one "Project Researcher" on 
sociological research on AI (B'AI), set up within the Institute for AI 
and Beyond of the University of Tokyo. This institute, established in 
July 2020, is a collaboration of the University of Tokyo with SoftBank 
(https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/content/400143855.pdf ). The researcher's 
affiliation will be with Graduate School of Interdisciplinary 
Information Studies.
Job details

The project researcher will design and implement various projects about 
Artifical Intelligence and society, especially gender issues, in 
collaboration with other members of the project, as well as conduct 
research on the topic. She/he/they will also be involved in inviting 
researchers from abroad, updating related webpages, maintaining research 
collaboration with related researchers in the field and planning 
online/in-person research meetings and symposia.  This is a non-tenure 
track non-teaching position and, contingent on funding and job 
performance, is renewable every new school year (in April) for twice (up 
to three years). Salaries and benefits are commensurate with UTokyo 
regulations. The starting date is December 1, 2020, or later and 
requires residence in Tokyo.  Note the duties will take place not only 
during the semesters but also during the periods of summer/winter/spring 
breaks.

Qualifications

1) Knowledge on digital media/ information society within the framework 
of media studies/media sociology/science and technology studies, 
especially on Big Data/AI and society.

2) Deep insight into gender studies and passion for gender justice
3) Teaching and research experience in international settings
4) Fluency in Japanese and English
5) Doctoral degree or equivalent in a relevant field
The position is that of "tokunin kenkyuin" in Japanese. The project 
researcher is expected to work four days a week, eight hours per day. 
Standard employment regulations of the University of Tokyo (including 
holidays and insurance) will apply.
Application method (including where to send documents)
Send the following files (in Word/Excel or PDF) to the email address below

File 1: Cover letter; Contact details for two academic referees; File 2: 
C.V. in the University of Tokyo format. (Downloadable from 
www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/per01/r01_j.html)
File 3: List of research accomplishments; Outline of research to date 
(up to 500 words); Statement detailing how you may contribute to this 
research project on AI and society at the University of Tokyo . Write in 
Japanese and English. Maximum two pages each on A-4 or letter-size paper.
Additional Files: Up to three publications (only in PDF)

Email above application materials to:

bai.gf.inquiry(at)gmail.com (at=@)

The deadline for receipt of the materials is November 6, 2020, 1700 
(Japan Standard Time). After an initial document screening, selected 
candidates will be invited for an online (ZOOM) interview.
Any inquiries should be made via email at:
bai.gf.inquiry(at)gmail.com (at=@)
University of Tokyo, Institute for AI and Beyond

See also
https://www.h-net.org/jobs/job_display.php?id=60523

==========================

B’AI Global Forum Project: Research on norms, ethics and praxis for a 
truly gender equal society and a guarantee of rights for minorities in 
the AI age

[Japanese project title: ＡＩ時代における真のジェンダー平等社会の実現と 
マイノリティの権利保障のための規範・倫理・実践研究]

Overview

The B’AI Global Forum Project searches for effective ways to realize our 
social goal of creating a gender-equal society and guaranteeing minority 
rights in the era where AI pervades every aspect of our lives.

Today’s world faces serious challenges, with ever-continuing economic 
gap and discrimination based on race, ethnicity, and gender. In 
particular, as the forms of communication mediated by digital 
technologies have become increasingly conspicuous in all realms of 
society including politics, economy and culture, especially since the 
spread of COVID-19 in 2020, the economic gap and discriminations are 
said to be worsening throughout the world.

In order to confront such social challenges, our project questions the 
fundamental values of modernity that have prioritized the progress of 
science and technology, and also promotes the intellectual endeavor to 
understand the formation of the contemporary social institutions and 
organizational structure.

We plan to do this by collaborating with researchers, practitioners, 
journalists and other citizens to identify current problems and seek and 
propose solutions so that the latest technology such as AI may enrich 
every human life.
Our two goals

Specifically, the B'AI Global Forum focuses on two goals: 1) Critically 
and self-reflexively examining the relationship between society and 
digital information technologies including AI
2) Realizing fair and just discourse in the public sphere

The four pillars of the B’AI Global Forum Project

We decided to title our project the “B’AI Global Forum Project.” The 
“B’” represents our intention to pay attention to the history of 
discourse and representation before AI, various competing interests 
behind the development of AI, and the structure beneath AI. In other 
words, the name of our project shows our goal of conducting a 
multi-perspective analysis on the history and social structure that 
produced and enabled modern technologies such as AI.
The B’AI Global Forum Project consists of four themes.
1) Analyze discrimination and violence against women and minorities by 
the digital information technologies, including AI
2) Design a diverse and inclusive mediascape by the digital information 
technologies, including AI  3) Create an interdisciplinary global forum 
where young researchers, entrepreneurs, practitioners, and other 
citizens come together to discuss issues related to AI and society 4) 
Reconceptualizing ethics for digital information age and practice 
inclusive education based on those ethics 



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