Leah Davis

Research Project

(Re)Pointing the Finger: Procedural Accountability in Humanizing Algorithmic System Evaluation

Biography

Leah Davis is an Electrical and Computer Engineering PhD Student in the Responsible Autonomous Intelligent Systems Ethics Lab at McGill University. She holds an MSc in Social Data Science from the University of Oxford and a BEng in Biomedical Engineering Co-op from the University of Guelph. Through diverse volunteer and industry experiences in AI ethics organizations, engineering education development, and Women in Engineering initiatives, her doctoral research investigates sociotechnical algorithmic auditing practices in collaboration with l'Université du Québec à Montréal and Mila – Quebec AI Institute. She hopes to contribute to forthcoming AI regulatory and policy movements in safety engineering, particularly in creating accountability mechanisms among actors in the Canadian AI ecosystem.

Born in North Bay, Ontario, Leah grew up in a Francophone community, improving her French through local interactions and participating in an immersive Québécois program at l’Université Laval. Believing that we are shaped by those around us, Leah is excited to collaborate with recipients, academic fellows, and industry mentors to learn about the shared experiences of those her work impacts. Within the scholarship program, she looks to actively engage in collective forums such as the Public Interaction Program. Outside of research, Leah enjoys kickboxing, rowing, and making vegan desserts.