SLU's Michael Rozier Named EthicalGEO Fellow

10/09/2019

The American Geographical Society (AGS) has awarded Michael Rozier, S.J., Ph.D., assistant professor of health management and policy at Saint Louis University's College for Public Health and Social Justice, an EthicalGEO Fellowship as a result of the Society's recent EthicalGEO Challenge. 

The EthicalGEO Challenge, in its first year and underwritten by Omidyar Network, solicited videos from across North America and was open to anyone with an interest in exploring the ethical issues involved with the use of geospatial tools and technology. Applicants were instructed to submit a three-minute video explaining their "big idea" or project to address ethics and the use of geospatial tools and technology. 

"Geolocation data has great potential to improve our lives, but it can also contain sensitive personal health information," Rozier said.  "With this grant I will field a survey to gather public opinion on the use and misuse of geolocation data that reveals information about our health and health behaviors.

"In an era of persistent data collection, we need a public conversation that is informed both by technology, asking what can be done, and by ethics, asking what should be done. I'm grateful for the fellowship and the opportunity to help shape this conversation."

Rozier will receive a $7,500 award to carry out his project, participate in a number of special activities and events over the course of the next nine months, and present the results of his work in a public forum in June 2020. 

See Rozier's three-minute video: 

"We are very pleased to have selected Fr. Rozier to join this first group of EthicalGEO Fellows," said John Konarski, Ph.D., chief executive officer of AGS.  "Ethical issues related to the use of geo technology have captured the interest of the media, geo practitioners and everyday citizens.

"All of us use this technology on a daily basis ... be it to find a location using our phones, analyze data in our jobs or better understand leading headlines in the media. Our use of this technology and data raises serious ethical questions ... privacy, ownership of data, use of data... this list is long and growing. Fr. Rozier and the other Fellows will lead the way to help us make better decisions as we rely more and more on geospatial tools and data to live our lives." 

To see the submitted videos as well as more information on the EthicalGEO Initiative, visit www.ethicalgeo.org.

Saint Louis University College for Public Health and Social Justice

The Saint Louis University College for Public Health and Social Justice is the only academic unit of its kind, studying social, environmental and physical influences that together determine the health and well-being of people and communities. It also is the only accredited school or college of public health among nearly 250 Catholic institutions of higher education in the United States.

Guided by a mission of social justice and focus on finding innovative and collaborative solutions for complex health problems, the College offers nationally recognized programs in public health, social work, health administration, applied behavior analysis, and criminology and
criminal justice.

The American Geographical Society

The American Geographical Society (AGS) is a 21st-century learning society dedicated to the advancement of geographic thinking, knowledge, and understanding across business, government, academe, social sectors, and most importantly with teachers and students. Established in 1851, AGS is the oldest professional geographical organization in the United States. It is recognized worldwide as a pioneer in geographical research and education for over 168 years. The mission of AGS is to advance and promote geography in business, government, science, and education. Our goal is to enhance the nation’s geographic literacy so as to engender sound public policy, national security, and human well- being worldwide. AGS seeks to engage the American public, from its youngest to its oldest citizens, with new and amazing ways to understand and characterize our changing world. The Society maintains its headquarters in New York City.