About

What is the Data Science Ethos?

The Data Science Ethos was created by an interdisciplinary team of social scientists, humanists, and data scientists working with ADSA to merge the data science research workflow with an ethical framework. The Data Science Ethos integrates human contexts and potential consequences of decisions at each stage of the research process.

Case studies provided with the tool offer examples of how real-world research projects can benefit from integrating the research process with ethical lenses through which to examine data science research.

More than a Code of Ethics

Codes of Ethics are common across many communities of research and practice, but they rarely help the community members understand how to infuse these ethics into their daily work. The Data Science Ethos helps learners and researchers draw connections from their data science work to the world around them.

Data Science's True Spirit

The Data Science Ethos highlights what we believe to be data science’s true spirit - namely to provide insight about the world around us while centering ethical and responsible services, outcomes, and technologies.

A Community-Oriented Framework

ADSA launched the creation of the Data Science Ethos tool prompted and supported by the academic data science community. We could not have built the tool without community input, and we want to continue engaging the community. Tell us what you think about the tool, how you've used it for teaching and training, and how you think we can make improvements.

What is an Ethos?

Ethos, the ancient Greek word that has become "ethic" in modern English, refers to the spirit or character of a people. In public life, it is common to hear qualitative descriptions of the ethos of a professional community – doctors, teachers, lawyers, or scientists – who have a discernible ethos. Data scientists have an ethos, too, and we believe this ethos includes considering the potential impacts of our work on the world around us.

What is ADSA?

The Academic Data Science Alliance (ADSA) builds communities of academic data science leaders, practitioners, and educators, and academic-adjacent colleagues, to thoughtfully integrate data science best practices in higher education.

A group of diverse people sitting in a classroom environment who look to be engaged, smiling and laughing, with the person at the front of the room. A young woman in glasses is the focus of the picture, and she is sitting in front of her laptop and smiling at whatever the teacher is saying.

Learn More

Read the research article by Data Science Ethos creators to dig deeper into the intellectual foundation for our approach to data science ethics.

Ethos Authors and Contributors

The Ethos Lifecycle was developed by an interdisciplinary team of social scientists, humanists, and data scientists working with ADSA

Margarita Boenig-Liptsin

Margarita Boenig-Liptsin

ETH Zürich

Assistant Professor of Ethics, Technology and Society

Cathryn Carson

Cathryn Carson

University of California, Berkeley

Human Contexts and Ethics Program, Data Science Undergraduate Studies

Ari Edmundson

Ari Edmundson

University of California, Berkeley

Human Contexts and Ethics Program, Data Science Undergraduate Studies

Charlotte Mazel-Cabasse

Charlotte Mazel-Cabasse

STS, Human Geography

Micaela Parker

Micaela Parker

Academic Data Science Alliance

Executive Director

Stephanie Shipp

Stephanie Shipp

University of Virginia

Biocomplexity Institute

Anissa Tanweer

Anissa Tanweer

University of Washington

eScience Institute

Steve Van Tuyl

Steve Van Tuyl

Academic Data Science Alliance

Program Manager

Case Study Contributors and Pilot Users

Caren Cooper

North Carolina State University

Crowd the Tap

Alycia Crall

The Carpentries

Crowd the Tap

Tiana Curry

University of Southern California/ADSA

Crowd the Tap

Ari Edmundson

University of California, Berkeley

Cook County

Anna Gueorguieva

University of California, Berkeley

Pilot User

Anissa Tanweer

University of Washington

Cell Phone Data

Site Design

Eva Newsom

University of California, Berkeley

Prototype Design

Smith & Connors

Design Agency

Final Design and Implementation

Lastly, a big thank you to members of the ADSA Community, who offered feedback on this project throughout its development.

About ADSA

The Academic Data Science Alliance (ADSA) builds communities of academic data science leaders, practitioners, and educators, and academic-adjacent colleagues, to thoughtfully integrate data science best practices in higher education.