Innovations in Immigration Analytics Conference

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Innovations in Immigration Analytics Conference

Analytical Advances in Immigration and Migration

Migration has been a powerful force shaping societies throughout civilization, driven by a complex interplay of factors, including personal safety, political stability, or economic opportunity. The 2023 Innovations in Immigration Analytics Conference brings together experts and practitioners from academia, government, and industry to showcase the latest innovations in analytics and machine learning for immigration. 

We invite you to join us on Friday, June 2, 2023, at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Rubin Campus Center, 3rd Floor, Odeum A-C) to hear from innovators in immigration analytics for a day filled with engaging discussions, knowledge sharing, interactive sessions, and networking opportunities. 

We will host speakers from academia applying analytics to understand and support efforts in immigration and migration and a panel of researchers and immigration experts to discuss the topic of  Analytics for Immigration. Secure your free spot today!

 

Conference Sponsors

Logos for WPI's Arts & Sciences, Business, and Global Schools and Arches

Agenda

10:00 am  – 10:30 am 

Conference Check-in 

10:30 am  – 11:00 am 

Opening Remarks

Provost Wole Soboyejo

11:00 am – 12:35 pm 

Talks 

Dr. Anna Nagurney 

Dr. Paul Gölz 

Dr. Andrew Trapp 

12:45 pm – 1:30 pm  Lunch 
1:30 pm – 2:30 pm 

Panel: Analytics for Immigration

Panel Moderator: 

Dr. Crystal Brown 

 

Panelists:

Dr. Geri Louise Dimas

Dr. Sarah Stanlick

Mike Mitchell 

Aimee Mitchell

2:30 pm  – 3:30 pm 

Coffee Break and Lighting Talks from the ARCHES Lab

Lighting Talk Speakers:

Dr. Shima Azizi

Ryan Killea

Fatemeh Farajzadeh

Marcela Vasconcellos 

3:30 pm – 4:00 pm  

Closing Remarks 

Dean Debora Jackson 

 

 

Speakers

Opening Remarks

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Photo of Provost Wole Soboyejo

Provost Wole Soboyejo

Wole Soboyejo received a BSc in mechanical engineering from King’s College London in 1985. He then went on to Cambridge University where he obtained his PhD in materials science in 1988. Between 1988 and 1992, he worked as a Research Scientist at the McDonnell Douglas Research Labs. In 1992, he worked briefly at the Edison Welding Institute before joining the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at The Ohio State University, where he worked from 1992 until 1999. Between 1997 and 1998, he spent a year as a Visiting Martin Luther King Associate Professor at MIT. He then moved to Princeton University as a Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in 1999. At Princeton, he has served as the Director of the US/Africa Materials Institute (USAMI) and the interdisciplinary undergraduate program in materials science. Soboyejo is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering. He is also a recipient of: National Young Investigator Awards from the National Science Foundation and the Office of Naval Research; ASM’s Bradley Stoughton Award for excellence in the teaching of materials science; the Lumley Research Award of The Ohio State University; and Princeton University’s Old School Award for Innovation. Soboyejo is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS), the Nigerian Academy of Engineering, African Academy of Science, and the Materials Society of Nigeria. He is the author of five textbooks and over 430 peer-reviewed journal papers. He has also edited 20 special issues of journals and conference proceedings. Between 2012 and 2014, Soboyejo served as the President and Provost of the African University of Science and Technology in Abuja, Nigeria. In September of 2016, Soboyejo moved to the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) as the Bernard M. Gordon Dean of Engineering and Professor of Engineering Leadership. He was appointed as Provost at WPI in September 2018. Soboyejo’s current research focuses on biomaterials and the mechanical properties of materials.

Talks

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Photo of Dr. Anna Nagurney

Dr. Anna Nagurney 

Eugene M. Isenberg Chair in Integrative Studies Director, Virtual Center for Supernetworks Department of Operations and Information, Management Isenberg School of Management, University of Massachusetts 

Anna Nagurney is the Eugene M. Isenberg Chair in Integrative Studies at the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the Director of the Virtual Center for Supernetworks, which she founded in 2001.  Anna’s research focuses on network systems from transportation and logistical ones, including supply chains, to financial, economic, social networks and their integration, along with the Internet.  She has also been researching sustainability and quality issues with applications ranging from pharmaceutical and blood supply chains to perishable food products and fast fashion to humanitarian logistics as well as human migration and refugee networks. 

 

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Photo of Dr. Paul Golz

Dr. Paul Gölz 

Postdoctoral Researcher, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University 

Paul Gölz is a postdoctoral researcher at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard. He received his Ph.D. in computer science from Carnegie Mellon University under the supervision of Ariel Procaccia. Paul studies democratic decision-making and the fair allocation of resources, using tools from algorithms, optimization, and artificial intelligence. Algorithms developed in his work are now deployed to select citizens’ assemblies around the world and to allocate refugees for a major US resettlement agency.

 

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Photo of Dr. Andrew Trapp

Dr. Andrew C. Trapp 

Associate Professor, The Business School, Worcester Polytechnic Institute 

Andrew C. Trapp is an Associate Professor of Operations and Industrial Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), with courtesy professorships in Mathematical Sciences and Data Science. He holds a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. His objective is to use science and technology to assist real human need by improving systems that serve vulnerable peoples, such as refugees and asylum seekers, survivors of human trafficking, and children in the foster care system. 

Panel

Moderator

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Photo of Dr. Crystal Brown

Dr. Crystal Brown 

Assistant Professor, Social Sciences, International & Global Studies, WPI

Dr. Crystal H. Brown is a political scientist with expertise in comparative immigration policy, race/ethnicity and politics, marginalized groups, and international relations. Her dedication to advancing inclusivity and diversity is reflected in her academic achievements, including several publications, policy briefs, and presentations at national and international conferences. Dr. Brown currently holds the position of Assistant Professor of Political Science at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in the Social Science and Policy Studies Department. She obtained her PhD in Political Science from the University of Oregon and holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Pennsylvania State University. Through her research, Dr. Brown has made significant contributions to the field of political science, particularly in shaping our understanding of the complex issues surrounding immigration policy, race and ethnicity, and international relations. In addition to her research, Dr. Brown is also a committed teacher and mentor, with a passion for creating an inclusive and welcoming learning environment for all students. Overall, Dr. Crystal H. Brown is a respected authority in her field, a valuable member of the academic community, and an advocate for equity and justice in all aspects of academic and personal life. 

Panelists 

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Photo of Dr. Geri Louise Dimas

Dr. Geri Louise Dimas 

Incoming Assistant Professor, Bryant University 

Geri Louise Dimas is a professor in Data Science at Bryant University and is the Co-Director of the Institute for the Qualitative Study of Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (QSIDE) Stopping Trafficking And Modern-day Slavery Project (STAMP) Lab. Her research focuses on applied analytics and data science at the intersection of societal issues such as immigration, anti-human trafficking, and homelessness. She received her Ph.D. in Data Science from WPI in April 2023.

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Photo of Sarah Stanlick

Dr. Sarah Stanlick

Assistant professor, Department of Integrative and Global Studies, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and the Director of the project-based, first-year Great Problems Seminar program

She was the founding director of Lehigh University’s Center for Community Engagement and faculty member in Sociology and Anthropology. She previously taught at Centenary College of New Jersey and was a researcher at Harvard’s Kennedy School, assisting the US Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power. She belongs to organizations such as the Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP) and the International Association for Research on Service Learning and Community Engagement (IARSLCE), as well as co-chairing the Imagining America Assessing the Practices of Public Scholarship (APPS) research team and the Community-Based Global Learning Collaborative. She has published in journals such as The Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, and the Journal of Global Citizenship and Equity Education.  Her research interests include reparations and restorative practices, refugee resettlement, global citizenship & civic identity development, and how technology can empower, connect, and support vulnerable populations. 

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Photo of Mike Mitchell

Mike Mitchell

Executive Director of No One Left Behind

No one Left Behind is a national nonprofit devoted to evacuating Afghans from the Taliban who worked alongside US, helping them in the US and advocating for them before Congress and the Administration.  He has an extensive background in nonprofits with significant experience in refugee & immigration, housing, and workforce development.   

Prior to his role at No One Left Behind, Mike led the Luminus Network for New Americans where be helped build a local organization serving immigrants from more than 35 countries, and before that, he served in senior roles at two national refugee resettlement organizations. 

Mike is a social sector entrepreneur with a passion for creating tools for nonprofits that utilize technology and to bring about more effective organizations.  Prior to his time in nonprofits, Mike served as volunteer with AmeriCorps and worked on Capitol Hill.  In addition to is professional roles, Mike has served on multiple Boards including serving as Chair of Maryland Nonprofits for two years.

 

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Photo of Aimee Mitchell

Aimee Mitchell

Chief Community Services Officer, Ascentria

Aimee Mitchell joined Ascentria in June 2021 as chief community services officer bringing with her over 25 years of experience serving people ranging from individuals with disabilities to those with psychiatric needs and those impacted by the child welfare system. Aimee is an innovative clinical leader who has focused her career on designing and implementing services that make an impact on people’s lives, both those being served and the staff doing the work. She believes that by amplifying the voices of those with lived experience and creating collaborative spaces for human-centered design, we can accomplish the critical goal of making a difference.

Aimee has a Bachelors Degree from the University of California in Santa Cruz, and earned a MSW from Smith College School for Social Work. She attended the Anderson School of Management at UCLA and has continued to apply what she learned there to her work.

ARCHES Lab Lighting Talks

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Photo of Dr. Shima Azizi

Dr. Shima Azizi

Assistant Professor of Business Analytics and Information Systems in the Peter J. Tobin College of Business at St. John’s University

Dr. Azizi's research focuses on the use of advanced analytics, specifically operations research and data science, to solve practical problems in humanitarian operations, healthcare, and sustainability. Specifically, her research focus on alleviating challenges within refugee camp systems, the United States foster care system, as well as the United States community paramedicine programs. She teaches courses in business analytics and operations management.

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Photo of Fatemeh Farajzadeh

Fatemeh Farajzadeh

PhD Student, Data Science Program, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Fatemeh is a current Ph.D. student in Data Science at WPI, holding a Master's degree in Industrial Engineering from Sharif University of Technology. She focuses on solving operational challenges in humanitarian operations and refugee matching systems. Her current research centers around managing migration crises by ensuring equitable resource allocation. Fatemeh is part of the RUTH deployment team, a matching system that facilitates the relocation of Ukrainian refugees to the United States.

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Photo of Marcela Vasconcellos

 

Marcela Vasconcellos

PhD Student, Data Science Program, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Marcela is a Data Science PhD student at WPI. Her background is in Operations Research, both in industry and academia. Her current research addresses diversity and inclusion in the job market, especially of refugees, via many-to-many matching using integer optimization. Her research interest lies in using mathematical optimization and market design for social good.

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Photo of Ryan Killea

Ryan Killea

Master's Student, Data Science Program, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Ryan's research interests are in Operations Research and Optimization, Algorithms, and Machine Learning. His thesis will be on algorithms to efficiently solve and reason about nonlinear optimization problems with a priori partially unknown constraints. Most recently, he has worked on the Refugee Resettlement program “RUTH” with Fatemeh Farajzadeh, Prof. Alexander Teytelboym and Prof. Andrew Trapp aiding HIAS in matching refugees to sponsors as part of Uniting for Ukraine.

Closing Remarks

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Photo of Dean Debora Jackson

Dean Debora Jackson 

Dean, The Business School, WPI 

The Reverend Dr. Debora Jackson is Professor of Practice and Dean of the Business School at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, a premiere STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) based institution recognized for project-based education that integrates the theory and practice of management. In response to changing industry needs, Dr. Jackson seeks to promote research, collaboration, and partnerships that understand broader societal needs and recast the vision for business education in ways that prepare leaders to disrupt, reorient, and innovate for societal impact. 

Conference Organizers

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Photo of Dr. Geri Louise Dimas

Dr. Geri Louise Dimas 

Incoming Assistant Professor, Bryant University 

Geri Louise Dimas is a professor in Data Science at Bryant University and is the Co-Director of the Institute for the Qualitative Study of Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (QSIDE) Stopping Trafficking And Modern-day Slavery Project (STAMP) Lab. Her research focuses on applied analytics and data science at the intersection of societal issues such as immigration, anti-human trafficking, and homelessness. She received her Ph.D. in Data Science from WPI in April 2023.

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Photo of Dr. Daniel Reichman

Dr. Daniel Reichman 

Assistant Professor, Worcester Polytechnic Institute 

Daniel Reichman is a profession in Computer Science at WPI. He completed his Ph.D. at the Weizmann Institute of Science in 2014. Afterward, he was a postdoc at Cornell, UC Berkeley, and Princeton. He is interested in how theoretical insights from computer science, discrete mathematics, and probability theory can lead to better algorithms in the domains of artificial intelligence and machine learning. His recent work is on theoretical questions related to Neural Networks. 

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Photo of Dr. Andrew Trapp

Dr. Andrew C. Trapp 

Associate Professor, Worcester Polytechnic Institute 

Andrew C. Trapp is an Associate Professor of Operations and Industrial Engineering at WPI, with courtesy professorships in Mathematical Sciences and Data Science. He holds a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. His objective is to use science and technology to assist real human need by improving systems that serve vulnerable peoples, such as refugees and asylum seekers, survivors of human trafficking, and children in foster care. 

 

Event Guide

Registration Check-In and WiFI

Registration will open at 10:00 am. Upon arrival at the Rubin Campus Center, please proceed to the 3rd floor and check-in at the registration desk inside the Odeum. 

WiFi information will be provided upon arrival. Signs will also be displayed throughout the event space with directions on how to access WPI’s Wi-Fi network.  

Parking and Directions

Please park in the Park Ave Garage (151 Salisbury St, Worcester, MA 01609). 

Please print the Parking Pass provided below and place it on the dashboard of your vehicle.

This is very important; campus police will ticket cars without a pass. If you arrive at WPI without a pass, please park and come to the registration desk to receive a parking pass. 

Additional Parking Guide:

Please see the WPI parking guide for how to get to campus and the Park Ave Garage and the WPI Campus Map for navigating the walk from the parking garage point to the campus center (an interactive map is available here). The Park Ave Garage is located behind the Harrington Auditorium (# 11 on the camp) and the Rubin Campus Center is number 19 on the map the event is located in the Odeum on the 3rd floor of the campus center. 

The parking garage location is the Park Ave Garage and the event will take place in the Rubin Campus Center. Signs will be available to help guide you to the building. There are many different paths to the campus center, one path with stairs is detailed below. 

Getting to the Campus Center from Parking Garage: 

When exiting the garage proceed to the left. At the first stop sign take a right, follow the path to a flight of stairs. At the top of the stairs, you will see Higgins House to your right. Walk past the House and go under the overpass and up another flight of stairs. Walk through the parking lot. To your right is a ramp between 2 buildings. Follow this to the top, the Rubin Campus Center will be directly to your right. Take the stairs to the 3rd level or walk past the information desk and follow the signs to the elevator. Go up one flight. Take a right out of the elevator and go through a set of glass doors. You will see the check-in table setup inside of the Odeum. 

Should you need assistance, contact Geri Dimas at 630-485-0977 or gldimas@wpi.edu

General Accessibility

Please consult this interactive map of WPI that highlights accessible locations: parking, ramps, entrances, and elevators. If you are in need of accessible parking, please let us know as soon as possible so that parking arrangements can be made. If you believe you will need additional assistance, please email, indicating any additional assistance you may require.