PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (June 20, 2025) — Marco Robinson, Ph.D., associate professor of history and assistant director of the Ruth J. Simmons Center for Race and Justice at Prairie View A&M University, has been awarded nearly $50,000 in grant funding from the Mozilla Foundation to advance his research on rural communities through socially responsible computing.
Robinson is leading a multidisciplinary team of Prairie View A&M University scholars, including Farrah Cambrice, Ph.D.; Sharon Daniels, Ph.D.; Malachi Crawford, Ph.D.; Sarah Conrad, Ph.D.; Ronald Goodwin, Ph.D.; and Megan Collins, Ph.D., who will serve as co-principal investigators.
Marco Robinson, Ph.D.
Phase two of the project builds on previous work by expanding curriculum development, deepening community engagement and designing a prototype app informed by data collected during the initial phase.
To support these goals, the research team has brought on additional philosophy and sociology faculty. A key component of this phase includes the creation of a new core course that introduces students in the social sciences, humanities and computer science to socially responsible computing and the ethical use of artificial intelligence.
Curriculum development will focus on embedding learning modules within linked courses that explore the intersection of technology, ethics and social impact. A philosophy department ethicist will provide oversight and collaborate with computer science faculty to ensure the modules reflect ethical best practices in AI and computing.
The team will also design a prototype app aimed at addressing critical issues identified in rural communities during the project’s first phase.
By Joe McGinty