New Books
Soft Power for the Journey: The Life of a Stem Trailblazer
Dr. Sandra K. Johnson's inspiring journey as an African American woman in STEM is chronicled in this book. From humble beginnings in the segregated South, she became the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from Rice University in 1988. Despite personal challenges, her innate abilities, discipline, and resilience led her to become an IBM Chief Technology Officer and a global technology leader. Dr. Johnson's story showcases her innovative contributions to high-performance computing, numerous patents, and technical publications. This compelling narrative highlights her triumph over adversity, demonstrating the power of persistence, faith, and soft power in achieving success in a challenging field.
Code Dependent: Living in the Shadow of AI
"Code Dependent" by Murgia explores the global impact of artificial intelligence on everyday lives. Through diverse stories from a British poet, an UberEats courier, an Indian doctor, and a Chinese activist, the book reveals how AI is reshaping society. It examines AI's influence on various aspects of life, including education, work, and human rights. Murgia exposes the potential dangers of automated decision-making, highlighting how it can erode individual agency and free will. The book ultimately calls for resistance against unchecked AI development and emphasizes the importance of reclaiming human autonomy in an increasingly AI-driven world.
Web3 in Financial Services: How Blockchain, Digital Assets and Crypto Are Disrupting Traditional Finance
"Web3 in Financial Services" is a comprehensive guide for finance professionals navigating the disruptive world of Web3. The book explores key concepts like custody, stablecoins, CBDCs, tokenization, DeFi, and digital identity, providing real-world examples from industry leaders. It examines Web3's impact on banks, investors, and regulators, and discusses the challenges and opportunities in mainstream adoption. The book answers crucial questions about Web3's meaning for financial services, its potential for disruption, and how organizations can adapt. It serves as an essential resource for finance and fintech professionals seeking to understand Web3's implications for the industry.
Literary Theory for Robots: How Computers Learned to Write
"Literary Theory for Robots" by Dennis Yi Tenen explores the intertwined history of literature and computer science, revealing how modern AI is rooted in centuries of human intellectual effort. Yi Tenen argues that AI should be viewed as an extension of existing tools rather than a magical, self-directed entity. The book traces the evolution of machine intelligence from medieval Arabic philosophy to contemporary developments, emphasizing the collaborative nature of human-machine interaction. Yi Tenen encourages readers to look beyond the artifice of AI and recognize it as a product of collective human labor, urging a perspective that celebrates the ongoing partnership between authors and engineers in shaping our technological future
Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What Is Human in a World of Machines
Dr. Joy Buolamwini, a pioneer in AI research, exposed widespread racial and gender bias in AI services through her groundbreaking work at MIT. Her book, "Unmasking AI," chronicles her journey from a high school robotics enthusiast to the founder of the Algorithmic Justice League. Buolamwini introduces the concept of the "coded gaze," revealing how discrimination is encoded in tech products. She applies an intersectional lens to the tech industry, highlighting how various forms of bias can overlap, rendering many people vulnerable in an AI-driven world. Buolamwini calls for algorithmic justice, emphasizing that AI should benefit all people, not just the privileged few.
The Worlds I See: Curiosity, Exploration, and Discovery at the Dawn of AI
Dr. Fei-Fei Li, creator of ImageNet and a key figure in AI's recent advancements, shares her journey from immigrant poverty to the forefront of artificial intelligence. Her memoir, "The Worlds I See," offers a personal account of scientific discovery, detailing her family's struggles, her passion for physics, and her pivotal role in AI development. Li provides an insider's perspective on the field's evolution, exploring both its potential and risks. The book combines emotional depth with intellectual rigor, offering a clear explanation of AI while highlighting the dedication and curiosity driving scientific progress.
Konrad Zuse's Early Computers: The Quest for the Computer in Germany
Konrad Zuse's pioneering computers, built in Berlin between 1936 and 1945, anticipated key features of modern machines. These included separate processor and memory, floating-point computation, microprogrammed instruction sets, and layered design with high-level programming. Zuse's Z1, Z2, Z3, and Z4 computers, developed during World War II, were more advanced than contemporaries like Harvard Mark I and ENIAC. The book details each machine's architecture, culminating in Plankalkül, the first high-level programming language proposal. This historical account traces Zuse's remarkable journey from his initial 1936/37 concept to the realization of his visionary machines, offering valuable insights for computer science students and professionals.
Proving Ground: The Untold Story of the Six Women Who Programmed the World's First Modern Computer
"Proving Ground" by Kathy Kleiman unveils the untold story of six pioneering women who programmed the ENIAC, the world's first general-purpose electronic computer, during the post-World War II era. These trailblazers tackled the challenge of programming without existing instruction codes or languages, making significant contributions to technological advancement. Based on extensive interviews with four of the original programmers, Kleiman's book restores these women to their rightful place in computer history, highlighting their revolutionary work and addressing the ongoing issue of gender imbalance in the tech industry.
Natural General Intelligence: How Understanding the Brain Can Help Us Build AI
"Natural General Intelligence" explores the quest for artificial general intelligence (AGI) by comparing AI systems with biological brains. The book examines the computational mechanisms and cognitive functions that underpin natural intelligence, drawing insights from cognitive science and neuroscience. It discusses key aspects of intelligence, including perception, memory, and control systems, while addressing conceptual issues and controversies in the field. Summerfield aims to bridge the gap between biological brain research and artificial intelligence development, providing a comprehensive analysis of the ingredients necessary for creating truly intelligent systems.
Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and the Image of God: Can Machines Attain Consciousness and Receive Salvation?
Dr. Bellini explores the possibility of artificial intelligence (AI) achieving human-level consciousness and its implications for religious salvation. The book examines the "hard problem of consciousness" and whether human consciousness can be replicated in AI, potentially necessitating evangelization. It proposes a theological stance on consciousness and the image of God, emphasizing the uniqueness of human consciousness compared to AI. The author delves into philosophy of mind, AI research, cognitive sciences, neuroscience, and theological anthropology to address these questions. The work also considers how the church might engage in theological discourse with AI as it approaches or surpasses human intelligence and performance.
The SAGE Encyclopedia of Theory in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
This encyclopedia explores the role of theories in STEM disciplines, examining how they shape understanding and learning in these fields. It delves into the construction, evolution, and significance of theories, highlighting their importance in unlocking the mysteries of the world. The work features over 200 expert-authored articles, organized thematically with a Reader's Guide. Each entry includes further readings, cross-references, and a Resource Guide listing key books, journals, associations, and websites. This comprehensive reference provides valuable insights into the theoretical foundations of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
A Brief History of Intelligence: Evolution, AI, and the Five Breakthroughs that Made Our Brains
"A Brief History of Intelligence" by Max Bennett offers a groundbreaking perspective on the evolution of human intelligence and its implications for AI. Bennett identifies five key evolutionary breakthroughs in brain development, drawing parallels between neuroscience and AI advancements. The book explores why AI excels in certain areas while struggling in others, using the brain's evolutionary journey as a framework. Praised by experts like Daniel Kahneman and Angela Duckworth, this work synthesizes complex scientific concepts into an accessible narrative, providing valuable insights for understanding both human cognition and the future of AI technology.
Mathematical Intelligence: A Story of Human Superiority over Machines
In "Mathematical Intelligence," Junaid Mubeen challenges the notion that machines will surpass human intelligence. He argues that mathematics, often misunderstood and poorly taught, gives humans a creative edge over computers. Mubeen identifies seven areas where human mathematical abilities excel, including our innate sense of numerical approximation, capacity for abstraction and language, logical reasoning skills, and ability to question and imagine beyond conventional rules. While computers excel at calculations and pattern recognition, Mubeen contends that human mathematical thinking offers a unique blend of creativity, reasoning, and intuition that machines cannot replicate, positioning mathematics as a crucial tool for maintaining our intellectual advantage in the age of artificial intelligence.
Language and the Rise of the Algorithm
"Language and the Rise of the Algorithm" explores the intertwined histories of mathematics, computer science, and linguistics, focusing on the challenge of balancing computational rules with human comprehension. Jeffrey M. Binder examines four historical attempts at universal computation: Leibniz's calculus ratiocinator, Condorcet's universal algebra, Boole's logic system, and the ALGOL programming language. These examples highlight the recurring entanglement of symbolic computation with debates on communication. The book argues that as machine learning blurs the line between technical and everyday language, it challenges the traditional boundary between algorithmic processes and human communication, revealing the profound implications of this convergence.
Multimedia Comprehension
"Multimedia Comprehension" explores how people understand messages combining text, images, maps, and graphs. Drawing from cognitive psychology, semiotics, anthropology, linguistics, education, and art, the book posits that information displays fall into two complementary representation forms, each serving distinct cognitive and communicative purposes. The interaction between these forms enhances understanding, thinking, and problem-solving, as demonstrated through various examples. Accessible to a wide audience without specialized knowledge, this work appeals to scholars, students, and professionals in psychology, communication, education, web design, and instruction, offering insights into the complex process of multimedia comprehension.
Gender and Security in Digital Space: Navigating Access, Harassment, and Disinformation
This edited volume explores the complex interplay between gender, security, and digital space. While the digital realm offers new opportunities for gender equality and participation, it also perpetuates inequalities and security threats with gendered implications. The book focuses on key issues such as access, harassment, and disinformation, presenting global research, experiences, and case studies. Contributors examine various aspects of these challenges, offering insights that could inform policy decisions aimed at creating safer and more equitable digital environments. This comprehensive work is essential reading for those interested in understanding and addressing gendered threats in the digital world.
Artificial Intelligence Applications Using ChatGPT in Education: Case Studies and Practices
Artificial Intelligence Applications Using ChatGPT in Education: Case Studies and Practices by Muhammad Shahzad Aslam and Saima Nisar explores how AI, specifically ChatGPT, can revolutionize medical education. The book addresses challenges in traditional medical education, such as information overload and ethical concerns like plagiarism. It presents ChatGPT as a personalized tutor for self-guided learning, helping students grasp complex medical concepts at their own pace. Through case studies and in-depth examinations, the authors demonstrate ChatGPT's potential to reshape medical learning while also discussing the ethical implications of AI integration in academia.
Quantum Supremacy: How the Quantum Computer Revolution Will Change Everything
As microchips approach atomic scales, traditional computing faces limitations. Enter quantum computers, which harness atomic properties for unprecedented computational power. These revolutionary machines promise to transform industries, from automotive design to medical research. Their potential applications are vast: cracking encryption, enabling a second Green Revolution, developing super batteries, designing fusion reactors, and unraveling protein folding for disease treatment. Quantum computers may even help solve the mystery of the universe's origin. Dr. Michio Kaku, a quantum theory expert, enthusiastically explores this scientific frontier and its implications for humanity's future in his book.
Privacy Is Hard and Seven Other Myths: Achieving Privacy Through Careful Design
In "Privacy Is Hard and Seven Other Myths," computer security expert Jaap-Henk Hoepman challenges common misconceptions about digital privacy. He argues that privacy is achievable if integrated into system design from the outset. Hoepman debunks eight myths, including the notion that websites don't collect personal data and that having "nothing to hide" negates privacy concerns. He proposes technical solutions such as pseudonyms, encryption, and local data storage to enhance privacy. The book emphasizes that while technology can compromise privacy, it can also be leveraged to protect it through thoughtful design strategies.
The Philosopher of Palo Alto: Mark Weiser, Xerox PARC, and the Original Internet of Things
Mark Weiser, Xerox PARC's first CTO and "father of ubiquitous computing," envisioned a future where technology seamlessly enhances our intuition without demanding attention or exploiting data. John Tinnell's biography explores Weiser's philosophical approach to computing, his groundbreaking experiments at PARC, and his growing concerns as tech leaders embraced his ideas. The book highlights Weiser's struggle to initiate a new computing era and his desire for technology to foster deeper connections. Tinnell presents a critical history of the Internet of Things through the lens of Weiser's life and innovative vision, contrasting it with today's smart device landscape.
Sharing Our Science: How to Write and Speak STEM
"Sharing Our Science" by Brandon Brown is a comprehensive guide for STEM professionals seeking to improve their written and oral communication skills. The book addresses the growing need for scientists and engineers to effectively convey their work through various media. Brown covers fundamental writing principles, scientific-specific considerations, and social aspects of communication. Drawing from his experience as a scientist and writing instructor, he provides practical advice on crafting engaging narratives, conveying complex ideas, and presenting information across different formats. This accessible handbook is an invaluable resource for STEM practitioners aiming to enhance their communication abilities and share their work with both technical and general audiences.
Being Human in STEM: Partnering with Students to Shape Inclusive Practices and Communities
This book presents the Being Human in STEM Initiative (HSTEM), a model for creating inclusive environments in undergraduate STEM education. Born from student protests at Amherst College, HSTEM challenges assumptions about who belongs in STEM fields. The authors provide a framework for developing HSTEM courses, evaluating inclusive change initiatives, and adapting the model to various institutions. The book offers strategies for making any course more inclusive through active listening, validation, and reflective practice. It emphasizes the importance of institutional culture shifts and provides resources for educators to implement these changes. Each chapter includes reflective questions and practical exercises to foster inclusivity in STEM classrooms and laboratories.