Dr. Sharad Goel

Professor

Biography

I am a Professor of Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School specializing in the intersection of public policy and computer science. My work focuses on the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in education and examines both its potential and its pitfalls. I conduct empirical tests on discrimination in various contexts such as policing and lending, and explore the design of equitable algorithms addressing bias in language models and healthcare. Additionally, I engage in research concerning access to education and democratic governance, investigating issues like voter fraud and political polarization. I founded and co-direct the Computational Policy Lab, which aims to tackle complex policy challenges through technical innovation. Our team has developed platforms like PingPong for educational purposes and initiatives such as the Open Policing Project. My contributions to public discourse include writings on algorithmic fairness and mass incarceration in major publications. I hold a bachelor's degree in Mathematics from the University of Chicago and a doctorate in Applied Mathematics from Cornell University, having completed postdoctoral fellowships at Stanford University and the University of Southern California, as well as working as a research scientist at Yahoo and Microsoft.

Research Interests

Experience

Professor
— Present

Harvard Kennedy School • Cambridge, MA

Teaching and conducting research at the intersection of public policy and computer science.