Tuesday, June 3, 2025 - 6:00pm to 7:00pm
Zoom event
You may have heard that water and electricity are required in big quantities for data centers, and that some activities like artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency are especially demanding. Learn more about how these systems work and discuss the environmental ethics of using AI with Shaolei Ren, a researcher at the University of California, Riverside.
Ren has shared his research on Iowa's data centers with the Des Moines Register and Iowa Public Radio. He will join us on Zoom to talk about this current issue and answer your questions. The talk will focus on understanding, quantifying, and mitigating the often-overlooked environmental (particularly water) and public health impacts of AI, with the goal of advancing AI systems that place communities and human health at their core.
Please register to receive the Zoom login details. It will also play in the Digital Media Lab for anyone who'd prefer to come in person.
Biography:
Shaolei Ren is an Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of California, Riverside. His research broadly focuses on AI, energy, and public health. His work has generated broader societal impacts, shaping AI policies adopted by international organizations such as the United Nations, UNESCO, and WHO. Additionally, his research has driven industry innovations, including the development of the first real-time water footprint reporting tool for computing. He is a recipient of the NSF CAREER Award (2015) and several paper awards, including at ACM e-Energy (2024, 2016) and IEEE ICC (2016). He received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles.
If you need disability-related accommodations in order to participate in this event, please contact the Library.
This event is open to the public.
The Digital Media Lab is not available during this event.
