Cathy O'Neil facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cathy O'Neil
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Cathy O'Neil at Google Cambridge in 2016
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| Nationality | American |
| Education | University of California, Berkeley Harvard University (PhD) |
| Awards | Alice T. Schafer Prize in 1993, MAA's Euler Book Prize |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mathematics |
| Institutions | MIT Barnard College D. E. Shaw & Co. Columbia University |
| Thesis | Jacobians of Curves of Genus One |
| Doctoral advisor | Barry Mazur |
Catherine ("Cathy") Helen O'Neil is an American mathematician, data scientist, and author. She is well-known for her book Weapons of Math Destruction. This book explains how computer programs can sometimes make unfair decisions. Cathy also writes opinion pieces for Bloomberg View. She was also involved in the Occupy movement, which was a protest against economic inequality.
Contents
Cathy O'Neil's Journey
Cathy O'Neil studied at UC Berkeley for her first degree. She then earned a special degree called a Ph.D. in mathematics from Harvard University in 1999. After finishing her studies, she worked as a math teacher at famous universities like MIT and Barnard College.
In 2007, Cathy decided to leave teaching. She then worked for four years in the world of finance. She was an analyst at a company called D. E. Shaw & Co.. However, she soon felt unhappy with this work.
Cathy then became involved with the Occupy Wall Street movement. This movement was a protest against big banks and unfair economic systems. She joined their group that looked at different ways to handle money.
Cathy O'Neil runs a popular blog called mathbabe.org. She also writes articles for Bloomberg View, sharing her thoughts on different topics.
Her Books
Cathy has written several important books. Her first book, Doing Data Science, was published in 2013. She wrote it with Rachel Schutt.
In 2016, her second book, Weapons of Math Destruction, came out. This book became a New York Times best-seller. It was also considered for a major award, the National Book Award for Nonfiction.
Her third book, The Shame Machine: Who Profits in the New Age of Humiliation, was published in March 2022.
Algorithmic Auditing
Cathy O'Neil is also the founder of a company called O'Neil Risk Consulting & Algorithmic Auditing (ORCAA). This company checks computer programs, called algorithms, to make sure they are fair and don't cause harm.
Awards and Recognition
Cathy O'Neil has received several awards for her work. In 1993, she was given the Alice T. Schafer Prize from the Association for Women in Mathematics.
In 2019, she won the MAA's Euler Book Prize. She received this award for her book Weapons of Math Destruction.
About Cathy's Life
Cathy O'Neil lives in Massachusetts with her three sons.
See also
In Spanish: Cathy O'Neil para niños
