Desmond Patton

Desmond Upton Patton, PhD, MSW

  • Brian and Randi Schwartz University Professor
  • PIK University Professor
  • Chief Strategy Officer
  • SAFELab Director

    • Research Interests

    Activism & Social Justice

    Qualitative Methods

    Youth

    Gun Violence

    Big Data

    Digital Culture

    Public Health

    Race & Ethnicity

    Social Media

    Desmond Upton Patton is the thirty-first Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor. He holds joint appointments in the School of Social Policy & Practice and the Annenberg School for Communication, with secondary appointments in the Department of Psychiatry at the Perelman School of Medicine and at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).
    Professor Patton’s groundbreaking research examines the relationship between social media and gun violence, grief, and loss, focusing on how online communities influence offline behavior. His work has made him the most cited and widely recognized scholar in this critical area of social science. Early research focused on detecting trauma and preventing violence on social media has evolved into broader investigations of language analysis and algorithmic bias in artificial intelligence. He currently serves as a member of Spotify’s Safety Advisory Council, the Ethics and Equity Advisory Council (EEAC) at Axon, TikTok’s U.S. Content Advisory Council, and is a trusted advisor to several AI startups.
    As a social work scientist, Patton identified that traditional data science methods often fail to capture the cultural and linguistic nuances of predominantly Black and Hispanic youth. In response, he developed the Contextual Analysis of Social Media (CASM) framework, which integrates culture, context, and inclusion into machine learning and computer vision analysis. He is also pioneering a new research agenda on joy, developing a practical and theoretical framework for integrating joy into AI model development as a tool for equity, imagination, and human connection.
    Dr. Patton is a member of the National Academy of Medicine, an Obama Foundation USA Leader, a Mozilla Rise 25 Change Agent, a Presidential Leadership Scholar, and one of RockHealth’s Top 50 in Digital Health.

    About

    Pronouns

    he/him

    Department(s)

    Penn Center for Inclusive Innovation & Technology | Strategic Communications & Design | Standing Faculty | Faculty | School Administration | Research Centers & Special Projects

    Program(s)

    MSW | MSSP | PhD

    Research Areas(s)

    Children, Women, Family Well-Being

    Related Links

    Curriculum Vitae >

    Link to Scholarly Papers >

    Related News

    Cultivating compassion & building community 

    Compassion was the focus of a special workshop opportunity offered last semester to faculty, staff, and students of Penn’s School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2) and Annenberg School for Communication. 

    Journey to Joy

    In a joint class within SP2 and the Annenberg School for Communication, Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor Desmond Upton Patton invites students to seek fulfillment in less tangible forms and dream big in Journey to Joy: Designing a Happier Life.

    Penn’s School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2) among partner schools for Penn Center on Media, Technology, and Democracy

    The University of Pennsylvania today announced $10 million in funding dedicated to its new Center for Media, Technology, and Democracy. The Center will be housed in the Penn School of Engineering and Applied Science (Penn Engineering) and will operate in partnership with five other schools at Penn, including SP2.

    First-of-its-kind study analyzes digital mourning practices of gang-affiliated youth

    A new paper co-written by SP2’s Dr. Desmond Patton explores the role of images in the online grieving practices of gang-affiliated Black youth. Due to his groundbreaking body of research, Dr. Patton was one of 13 participants invited to the White House last week.

    SP2’s Dr. Desmond Patton elected to National Academy of Medicine

    SP2’s Dr. Desmond Upton Patton of is one of five Penn experts among the 100 new Academy members elected this year to one of the highest honors in health and medicine.

    Social scientists must address ChatGPT’s ethical challenges before using it for research

    Penn Today has spotlighted new work by researchers at Penn’s School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2) and the Annenberg School for Communication to ensure the ethical use of artificial intelligence resources such as ChatGPT by social work scientists.

    Desmond Patton and the science of being human

    One of Penn’s youngest Penn Integrates Knowledge (PIK) University professors, SP2’s Dr. Desmond Patton speaks with Penn Today about his work studying grief and loss, joy, and well-being.

    Researchers: Social scientists must address ChatGPT’s ethical challenges before using it for research

    A new paper by researchers at Penn’s School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2) and Penn’s Annenberg School for Communication offers recommendations to ensure the ethical use of artificial intelligence resources such as ChatGPT by social work scientists. 

    Alumni Q&A | Dr. Javier Garcia-Perez, MSW’17, NPL’17 

    SP2 postdoctoral fellow and alumnus Dr. Javier Garcia-Perez, MSW’17, NPL’17, is an interdisciplinary, intersectional, and community-centered researcher focused on improving the quality of life for the LGBTQ+ and Latinx community across the lifespan.

    Desmond Upton Patton announced as new Obama Foundation United States Leader

    Dr. Desmond Upton Patton is among the first cohort of 100 emerging changemakers selected to participate in the Obama Foundation’s Leaders USA program.

    Desmond Patton appointed Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor

    Desmond Upton Patton has been named the University of Pennsylvania’s 31st Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor, effective July 1. The announcement was made today by Interim President Wendell Pritchett and Interim Provost Beth Winkelstein. […]