Rediet Abebe

Rediet Abebe earned the distinction of becoming the first Black woman to receive a doctoral degree in computer science from Cornell University, where her research focused on the intersection of algorithmic design and social inequality. Since her graduation, she has centered her career on developing computational frameworks designed to address issues of distributive justice within modern artificial intelligence.

Educational Path and Academic Foundations

Born in 1991 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Abebe completed her early schooling at Nazareth School before attending the International Community School of Addis Ababa on a merit scholarship. She pursued her undergraduate education at Harvard University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics and a Master of Science in applied mathematics. During her tenure there, she contributed to The Harvard Crimson. Following her undergraduate studies, she moved to the University of Cambridge as a Governor William Shirley Scholar at Pembroke College, where she finished Part III of the Mathematics Tripos and obtained a Master of Advanced Studies in pure mathematics under Imre Leader.

Doctoral Research and Contributions

Abebe moved to Cornell University for her doctoral studies in computer science, supervised by Jon Kleinberg. Her dissertation analyzed how algorithmic systems can contribute to social harm and proposed new methods for improving equity in technical design. This work was recognized with the 2020 ACM SIGKDD Dissertation Award and an honorable mention for the 2020 ACM SIGecom Dissertation Award. Her research interests prioritize the needs of underserved populations, bridging the gap between computational theory and practical social policy.

Institutional Initiatives and Research Leadership

In 2016, Abebe co-founded the research collective Mechanism Design for Social Good (MD4SG) alongside Kira Goldner. This initiative explores how algorithms can combat inequality, leading to the 2021 launch of the ACM Conference on Equity and Access in Algorithms, Mechanisms, and Optimization (EAAMO). That same year, she co-founded Black in AI with Timnit Gebru. This organization supports a network of over 1,500 researchers and facilitates networking through workshops at the Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems. In 2019, she served on the National Institutes of Health Working Group on AI, providing recommendations to Director Francis Collins.

Professional Appointments at Berkeley

Abebe is currently an assistant professor at the University of California, Berkeley, within the department of electrical engineering and computer sciences. As the first Black female professor in the department’s history, she maintains affiliations with several research hubs, including the Berkeley Artificial Intelligence Research Lab and the Berkeley Institute for Data Science. She also leads the Berkeley Equity and Access in Algorithms, Mechanisms, and Optimization (BEAAMO) research group. Her appointment followed her time as a Junior Fellow at the Harvard Society of Fellows, where she became the first female computer scientist and the first Black computer scientist to hold that title.

Fast facts

• Born: 1991, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
• Undergraduate: Harvard University
• Doctorate: Cornell University
• Current Position: Assistant Professor, University of California, Berkeley
• Co-founder: Mechanism Design for Social Good (MD4SG)
• Co-founder: Black in AI
• 2022 Award: Carnegie Fellow
• 2019 Recognition: Innovators Under 35

Questions readers ask

What is the primary focus of Rediet Abebe’s research?

Her work centers on mathematical and computational frameworks that investigate inequality, distributive justice, and the social impact of algorithmic systems.

Which organizations did she co-found to support diversity in technology?

She co-founded Mechanism Design for Social Good (MD4SG) in 2016 and the research network Black in AI.

Achievements

• Affiliated with University of California, Berkeley
• Educated at Harvard University, University of Cambridge and Cornell University
• Worked as computer scientist, academic and researcher