About WAIHSS
Why we built WAIHSS
We built WAIHSS in response to the enduring barriers that limit equal participation in academia, the sweeping cuts to education and scholarship funding that compound them, and the growing threats to academic freedom — including within the AI space — all of which place mounting pressure on female scholars and the independent research infrastructures that support them.
WAIHSS facilitates community building to counteract these developments by creating a platform and support structure dedicated to female social sciences and humanities scholars researching AI. Creating space for critical research into AI from a multitude of perspectives is particularly crucial right now, as AI development remains male-dominated.
While many emerging initiatives already support women in tech or AI within technical fields, we see the potential in specifically building a community of female scholars conducting vital critical research on AI from social science and humanities perspectives — and in helping showcase that work. We stand in solidarity with these initiatives and the broader movement toward gender equity in AI, and warmly welcome anyone working in this space to reach out and connect with us.
How we are funded
WAIHSS is an independent academic initiative. We do not accept financial support from private tech companies and are not affiliated with any political party or movement. We are able to do this work by devoting some working hours as university employees and some of our spare time to the cause.
We are pursuing funding opportunities that can allow us to sustain and expand the work we are doing, so please do not hesitate to reach out if you wish to discuss ways of supporting our work.
What we do
As WAIHSS is created by and for women, we aim to foster a community where female voices and scholarship are heard, valued, and strengthened through shared dialogue.
How we pursue this will be an evolving process — we will continuously develop new initiatives and share them on this website. To begin with, we are launching an interview series, Women in Dialogue, featuring online conversations with female scholars to showcase their work and discuss their journeys in academia. We are also hosting a pre-conference workshop at AoIR 2026 as a first step toward a broader effort to map the gender inequities shaping the field of AI in the social sciences and humanities.
How we are governed
WAIHSS is led by a steering committee of its founders, who hold overall responsibility for its direction and decisions. An advisory board of experts across the humanities and social sciences provides guidance and helps ensure the initiative remains grounded in diverse perspectives. We are committed to transparency in how we work and welcome input from the broader community we serve.