Computational Policy Lab
We are an interdisciplinary team of academic researchers, data scientists, and journalists who combine the power of rigorous statistical analysis with rich visual narratives to drive social impact. We span a wide range of disciplines, including Engineering, Humanities and Sciences, and Law.
Sharad Goel is a Professor of Public Policy at Harvard University, and the founder of the Computational Policy Lab. In his research, Sharad looks at public policy through the lens of computer science, bringing a new, computational perspective to a diverse range of contemporary social issues. Before joining Harvard, Sharad was on the Stanford faculty with appointments in Management Science & Engineering, Computer Science, Sociology, and the Law School. He completed a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics at Cornell University. He plays a variety of musical instruments, all of them badly.
Cheryl Phillips is the faculty director of the Computational Policy Lab. She teaches data journalism at Stanford University and co-founded the Stanford Open Policing Project in 2017. She worked at The Seattle Times from 2002-14, focusing on data and investigations. In Seattle, she twice worked on breaking news stories which received a Pulitzer and was twice on teams that were Pulitzer finalists. She has worked at USA Today, and at newspapers in Michigan, Montana and Texas. She is a former board president of Investigative Reporters and Editors. She is married to Catherine and in their free time, they try to keep up with with their twin sons.
Alex Chohlas-Wood is the executive director of the Computational Policy Lab. Alex led the development of data-driven tools in both the private and public sector, including as the Director of Analytics for the New York Police Department (NYPD). Alex holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University, an M.S. from New York University, and a B.A. from Carleton College. His favorite color is gray.
Joe Nudell is an engineer in the Computational Policy Lab. Joe is interested in how technology can help us understand, talk about, and intervene on big social issues from mass incarceration to the housing crisis. Prior to joining the lab, Joe was a Software Engineer building analytics systems at Dropbox, and before that he received his A.B. and A.M. from the University of Chicago. Joe also spends a lot of time playing music and photographing mushrooms with his trusty dog, Leopold.
Madison is a PhD student at the Harvard Kennedy School. Previously, she was a data scientist in the Computational Policy Lab and has also worked as a Graduate Fellow in Data Science for the U.S. Federal Government. Madison holds an M.S. in Computer Science and a B.S. in Management Science and Engineering, both from Stanford University. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, tending to her numerous houseplants, and reading.
Johann Gaebler is a Ph.D. student at Harvard University. Johann is broadly interested in the development and application of data science tools to complex social problems, such as mass incarceration, hiring discrimination, and other issues at the intersection of statistics, computer science, and policy. Previously, Johann worked at the ACLU and received an M.Sc. in the History of Science from Oxford University, and an A.B. in mathematics from Harvard University. In his free time, Johann likes to backpack, play the guitar, and learn new languages.
Julian Nyarko is an Associate Professor of Law at Stanford Law School, where he explores how new computational methods can be used to study questions of legal and social scientific importance. He is particularly interested in the use of computational linguistics to study contract law and design. In addition, he frequently collaborates with other researchers to work on projects across a diverse group of subjects, including causal inference, algorithmic fairness and criminal justice.
Ravi Shroff is an assistant professor of applied statistics and urban informatics at New York University's Steinhardt School and Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP). His research involves the development and application of statistical and computational methods to issues in criminal justice and child welfare. Ravi studied mathematics at UC San Diego (M.S. and Ph.D.) and applied urban science and informatics at CUSP (M.S.), and mathematics and economics at the University of Washington (B.S.). In his free time, Ravi enjoys cooking and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
