Alex Chohlas-Wood

Alex Chohlas-Wood is an Assistant Professor of Computational Social Science. He received his Ph.D. in computational social science from Stanford University, an M.S. in applied urban science and informatics from NYU CUSP, and a B.A. in studio art from Carleton College. 

His research investigates whether computational approaches can improve public policy. In recent work, he designed an algorithm that uses AI to help prosecutors avoid implicit bias in charging decisions, tested whether automated behavioral nudges reduce incarceration for public defender clients, and developed a utility-maximizing framework for equitable algorithms. He is particularly interested in prototyping and evaluating scientific and technical innovations in applied collaborations with government agencies. 

Dr. Chohlas-Wood is a faculty co-director of the Computational Policy Lab, which he has led in various roles since 2018. Previously, he served as the director of analytics for the New York City Police Department. His efforts have been supported by Arnold Ventures, the Harvard Data Science Initiative, J-PAL North America, the MacArthur Foundation, the Microsoft Justice Reform Initiative, and Stanford Impact Labs. His research has directly informed state and local legislation and policymaking across the U.S. 

Photo credit: Christine Baker for Stanford Impact Labs