Technology < > Society
Technology is already fundamentally changing our world. I am dedicated to making sure that this change is in the direction of progress, and prioritizes human rights, universal wellbeing, and political and economic agency for all. This is why I am currently focused on building, testing, and studying impactful technology on a global scale. My work includes analyzing the effect of technological innovation on the future of work (and the futures of workers themselves), evaluating privacy-preserving technology and tech policy, and studying + building pathways to civic change through digital and narrative media. Published in Harvard's Safra Center, ACM SIGCHI, ICTD, ACM COMPASS, and The Wire. Generously funded by Microsoft Research.
Media and Technology for Political Change
I believe that change comes from innovation, and political change is no different. To this end, I have built digital tools to streamline political communication in Washington, DC , utilized by hundreds of progressive candidates. I have also partnered with the Civic Analytics Network to create data analysis and visualization dashboards for multiple state and local governments throughout the United States, driving more data-focused decisions in affordable housing, environmental policy, and public health.
Lecturer and Researcher, Digital Civil Society
In my time at Stanford University, I taught classes in both the computer science and political science departments, on building technology for good and creating a more secure world for political activism and engagement in civil society. Projects built in these classes reached more than 20 million people around the globe. To be thorough, I also worked with Stanford's Philanthropy and Civil Society group, as well as with Microsoft Civic Tech, to identify and fund innovative organizations in the digital civic space.
Click below for a quick explanation of my digital security and civil society class.
Fighting for Gender Equality
We cannot have a just world without true equality for all people, regardless of gender. I have partnered with feminist organizations throughout California , speaking at college campuses and organizing conferences, rallies, and events, to advance the cause of gender equity. I have also led initiatives fighting against sexual assault and gender violence, and helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the cause .
Featured in ELLE magazine as part of an ongoing series, 'Women Changing The World Through Technology'.
Reach out!
Contact me at [email protected], or at @divyasiddarth , if you want to chat about tech ethics, democratization, decentralization, and mobilization strategies. Alternately, talk to me about musicals, video essays, chai, or any good books you've read recently.