Read about Sarah Weiler

What brought you to a career in technology at the United Nations?

Developments in the field of technology touch on and affect many of the issues I care about most strongly, including the management and mitigation of global catastrophic risk, the promotion of democratic innovation, and the achievement of more sustainable development paths. I believe that an understanding of complex societal dynamics is essential if we are to respond proactively and effectively to technological developments, which is why more people with social scientific backgrounds should make an effort to keep up with and think hard about technology-related issues.

What has been your favorite technology project or initiative at the United Nations and why? What was your contribution?

As an intern, I have only really worked on one IT project at the UN: I conducted a three-month investigation to build a repository of existing resources (guidelines, strategies, ongoing projects and working groups) to inform efforts for adopting AI technologies across the UN system.

What advice would you give women interested in pursuing a field in technology?

Don't overlook or push away the complexity and uncertainty that arise when thinking about any of technology's roots and impact on society; it's hard to make sense of complex societal dynamics, but it's better to face up to the challenge honestly than to pretend it isn't there.