In public discussions, it’s not uncommon for individuals to assert, “I brought data to this discussion,” thereby framing their findings as objective and rational. However, it’s far less frequent for someone to probe deeper into the origins of that data: Where did it come from? How was it gathered? Why do we have data on certain issues and not others? MIT Associate Professor Catherine D’Ignazio SM ’14 is one scholar who rigorously examines these critical questions. With an impressive breadth of work, she is devoted to employing data to address social challenges, particularly in empowering marginalized communities and enhancing our understanding of civic issues.
D’Ignazio emphasizes the importance of creating data infrastructures that foster an informed citizenry capable of engaging in our democracy through data-based discussions. “If we want an educated citizenry to participate in our democracy with data and data-driven arguments, we should think about how we design our data infrastructures to support that,” she asserts.
One poignant example of her work relates to feminicide—the killings of women driven by gender-based violence. Activists across Latin America have taken the initiative to catalog cases of feminicide and establish databases that often surpass official government records in thoroughness. D’Ignazio has observed this phenomenon and collaborated with colleagues to design AI tools that support human rights defenders in their monitoring tasks. Her 2024 book, “Counting Feminicide,” chronicles this process and introduces the issue to broader audiences. Where data was once scarce, innovative grassroots efforts have created substantial databases that reveal the stark realities of feminicide in different parts of the world. The book highlights the rise of citizen data activism and grassroots data science as transformative forms of civic engagement.
D’Ignazio raises fundamental questions about innovation: “When we talk about innovation, I think: Innovation for whom? And by whom? For me, those are key questions.” As a faculty member in MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning and the director of MIT’s Data and Feminism Lab, she has had her efforts recognized with tenure in 2023.
Her career has consistently intertwined data science, digital design, and global issues. She began her academic journey with a BA in international relations from Tufts University and briefly worked as a software developer in the private sector. Afterward, she pursued an MFA from the Maine College of Art, then earned an MS from the MIT Media Lab, where she synthesized her various interests. “The Media Lab for me was the place where I was able to converge all those interests I had been thinking about,” D’Ignazio explains. She envisioned a future where technology could be used creatively and socially just, enacting a more participatory and equitable environment for everyone.
Aside from her academic pursuits, D’Ignazio co-organized two feminist hackathons in 2014 and 2018 called “Make the Breast Pump Not Suck,” where hundreds of participants innovated technologies and policies addressing postpartum health and infant feeding. Yet, a significant portion of her focus has been on data architecture, visualization, and the intricate relationship between data generation and societal dynamics.
She embarked upon her teaching career as a lecturer in the Digital + Media graduate program at the Rhode Island School of Design before becoming an assistant professor in data visualization and civic media within Emerson College’s journalism department. D’Ignazio joined MIT faculty as an assistant professor in 2020.
Her first book, “Data Feminism,” co-authored with Lauren Klein from Emory University, was published in 2020 and explored how data reflects the socio-political contexts in which it is produced. For example, varying reported rates of sexual assault on college campuses may mislead, as institutions with lower reporting may create climates in which survivors feel discouraged from disclosing incidents.
D’Ignazio’s extensive global experience—having lived in countries such as France, Argentina, and Uruguay—has deepened her comprehension of the local and national political landscapes influencing data collection, particularly challenges faced by citizen watchdogs. “So much grassroots labor goes into the production of data,” she notes. “It’s fascinating how much work grassroots or citizen science teams invest to render data useful, often due to inadequacies in institutional data structures.”
D’Ignazio is also keenly aware of the importance of inclusivity in data science. As an associate professor, she encourages her students to critically engage with data science and its societal implications. She often finds inspiration in her students’ work. “Part of the joy and privilege of being a professor is you have students who take you in directions you would not have gone in yourself,” she shares.
One of her current graduate students, Wonyoung So, is exploring housing data issues. While landlords have extensive access to information about tenants, the reverse is less straightforward, making it difficult to identify landlords with unusually high eviction rates. “There are all of these technologies that allow landlords to get almost every piece of information about tenants, but there are so few technologies allowing tenants to know anything about landlords,” D’Ignazio explains. This imbalance signifies how data availability can reinforce existing societal inequities.
Housing is yet another area ripe for innovative solutions and improved data structures. D’Ignazio sees herself as a facilitator for her students to pursue meaningful work that might not have been her focus. “I’m interested in thinking about how information and technology can challenge structural inequalities,” she states. “The question is: How do we design technologies that help communities build power?”
In summary, D’Ignazio’s work not only analyzes the complexities of data production and its implications for society but also seeks to empower communities through innovative data practices and tools designed to challenge inequities and foster greater civic engagement.
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