Dr. Kenya Andrews earned her Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Illinois Chicago, where she conducted research in the Data, Information, and Computation, Equitably (DICE) Lab under the mentorship of Dr. Mesrob I. Ohannessian. She is a recipient of several prestigious fellowships, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Millennium Scholarship, NSF Bridge to Doctorate Fellowship, GEM Fellowship, and Google + Black in Robotics (BiR) Fellowship. She is currently a Brown University Provost Fellow in Biostatistics with Dr. Rebecca Hubbard.
Dr. Andrews' research focuses on machine learning (ML), just decision-making, and human-robot interaction, with a particular emphasis on improving the visibility and representation of marginalized people to algorithmic systems with primary applications in real-world settings (e.g., healthcare, education, public policy). Her core interests include:
- Mitigating injustice in ML – Developing algorithms that enhance the visibility of historically marginalized groups, ensuring just access to opportunities.
- Just algorithmic decision-making – Creating comprehensive and just AI-driven decision-making frameworks that contribute to a more inclusive and thriving society for all.
- Ethical human-robot interaction – Designing fair and just decision-making algorithms that guide human-robot interactions.
Dr. Andrews is a proud graduate of the Spelman College Dual Degree Engineering Program, earning a Bachelor's of Science in Computer Science from Spelman and a Bachelor's of Computer Engineering from Auburn University. Outside of research, she is passionate about mentoring students and connecting them with scholarship opportunities.