Meet our Princeton University Graduate Fellows: Abby Fergus

In our Meet the Fellows series, we learn from three emerging professionals at Princeton University carving their unique path into the Responsible Tech ecosystem at All Tech Is Human. Today we learn from Abby Ferugs! Abby is a PhD student in Psychology and a GradFUTURES Social Impact Fellow at All Tech Is Human. Her research focuses on understanding the mechanisms underlying language processing, learning, and generalization. At All Tech is Human, she is excited to explore the intersection between cognitive science and responsible AI. Previously, Abby worked as a Research Assistant at the University of Iowa and earned her B.S. in Psychology and B.A. in Linguistics at William & Mary.

What drew you to working with All Tech Is Human and the field of Responsible Tech, and how has your focus evolved?

I was really excited to work with All Tech is Human because I wanted to see how my research in psychology could apply to the “real world” and make a lasting impact. Prior to applying, I attended an ethics and AI workshop which first sparked my interest in the connection between psychology and human-AI interaction, but also opened my eyes to the countless ethical questions involved and the importance of taking action. Now that I am with All Tech is Human, my focus has broadened outside of Responsible AI to the many different pillars of Responsible Tech. In particular, I am interested in Youth, Tech, and Wellbeing. As a member of Gen Z, I have first-hand experience with what it’s like to grow up with technology at your fingertips, and now with AI and the ever-evolving technology of today, I want to focus on understanding the impact it has on our youth and support policy to protect them.

How does this fellowship support your professional goals?

The social impact fellowship has taught me countless skills that have both strengthened me as a professional and deepened my portfolio. I now have a firm grasp and understanding of the non-profit space and how to push forward social change in this environment. In addition, I have honed my event planning and organizational skills, something that I deeply enjoy and hope to continue in my career journey.

What’s been the most rewarding or eye-opening part of this fellowship?

In today’s world, I think it’s easy to feel helpless pitted against large tech companies and the ever-growing role of technology in our lives. What I’ve found most rewarding is that I finally feel like I have a voice and that I can make actual change. Additionally, it’s reassuring to see so many dedicated and driven people fighting for social change.

How has your research influenced the way you think about the relationship between technology and society?

As a language researcher, I am always thinking about the connection between our language use, society, and our role in it. As humans, we are extremely adept pattern-finders and meaning-makers. And unfortunately, as a result, it’s common to conflate differences in language, dialect, or ability with negative attributes about others. Large language models, too, look for patterns to exploit and as such, we must be aware of the biases that exist in these models. Whose dialect were they trained on? What patterns or biases did they learn? What is the impact of a model that is trained on linguistic input that is more homogenous than the real world? 

What role does mentorship play in your career?

Mentorship plays a vital part in my career (as I believe it should be for everyone!) As a graduate student, I tend to find myself as more of a mentor rather than a mentee, where I train and guide undergraduates and newer members of the lab. I love this aspect of grad school because I find a lot of joy in teaching and I know the importance of giving back in this way. At All Tech is Human, I have been able to experience the benefits of taking a mentee role and learning from our leadership team and professionals across the space. One of my biggest pieces of advice is to find a mentor and a mentee. It’s so critical to both have someone who inspires you and someone who you can inspire.

What advice would you give to aspiring professionals interested in responsible technology?

My advice would be the same advice I say about everything: just go for it! We are usually our own worst enemies and once you can believe in yourself and give it a shot, I think you’ll be surprised what you can do! Especially in this field, I hear people say things like, “Well, I don’t have a tech background” or “I don’t know how to code.” But they fail to mention all of the skills that they do have (and spoiler there are always many!) And this topic in particular touches all of our lives and your voice is important!

Check out Abby’s latest work as a Social Impact Fellow:

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