BERKELEY, Calif. - March 27, 2024 - In an impressive feat of innovation and civic engagement, the PoliWatch project, conceptualized by astute minds at the University of California, Berkeley’s Graduate School of Information (iSchool), has been lauded with the prestigious Sarukkai Social Impact Award. This recognition underscores PoliWatch’s success in deploying advanced artificial intelligence to identify and analyze insider trading within the U.S. Congress.
The Sarukkai Social Impact Award, inaugurated by philanthropists Sekhar and Rajashree Sarukkai in 2021, celebrates transformative projects from iSchool students that promise substantial social welfare improvements.
Matthew Dodd, Aditya Shah, Jocelyn Thai, and Connor Yen, the team behind PoliWatch, have channeled their expertise to shine a light on covert financial transactions by government officials. By integrating AI with a rigorous investigative framework, PoliWatch stands at the forefront of mitigating conflicts of interest and fostering transparency in congressional financial activities.
Aditya Shah, project co-lead, asserts, “The veiling of conflicts of interest by our legislators is more than an ethical concern; it’s a breach of public trust that impacts the very fabric of our society. This accolade from the Sarukkai Social Impact Award amplifies our endeavor to enhance legislative transparency and accountability.”
This recognition from the Sarukkai Social Impact Award is a testament to the impact of the iSchool Master’s Capstone projects and their potential to initiate real-world social change.
Team member Matthew Dodd reflects on the gravity of their mission: “Unethical market practices by those in power not only provoke public ire but also weaken confidence in our democratic systems. Through PoliWatch, we are empowering citizens and fortifying the principles of fairness and justice in our society.”
To learn more about the strides PoliWatch is making in combating congressional insider trading, visit the PoliWatch Project Page https://www.ischool.berkeley.edu/projects/2023/poliwatch
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Company Name: PoliWatch
Contact Person: Smitha Shaw
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Country: United States
Website: https://www.ischool.berkeley.edu/projects/2023/poliwatch
