Wisconsin is in the early stages of a data center buildout that could reshape its energy grid, its local tax base, and its rural communities. In recent months there has been substantial community opposition driven by environmental concerns, as well as concerns about rising tax and utility costs for residents. While legislation has been proposed to mitigate some of these concerns, strong opposition remains.
Join the Sustainability Research Hub and the Data Science Institute on April 9, 3-4:30pm, for our first Data Center Working Group Chalk Talk with Anna Haensch. This talk will highlight the current legal and legislative landscape in Wisconsin, discuss some of the mechanisms that make this topic so complex, and share examples of successfully negotiated community benefit agreements.
Anna Haensch holds a PhD in mathematics and is currently an Associate Research Professor at the Data Science Institute. She is also the Associate Director of the Digital Scholarship Hub at the UW Libraries. Her research interests are in science and technology policy, especially the use of artificial intelligence in the public sector and critical infrastructure. Her recent work spans applications of artificial intelligence and statistical machine learning across social and complex systems, energy infrastructure, and law enforcement, with the goal of fairness, safety, and equity.
This talk will be held in Morgridge Hall B2550. Please RSVP here.