Kezia Oketch

Ph.D. Student

University of Notre Dame

Jambo! My name is Kezia Oketch, a researcher passionate about making artificial intelligence work for everyone. I explore how language technologies can be fair, inclusive, and effective, whether they are scoring essays in the classroom or interpreting health information. My work blends data science with cultural insight, uncovering how AI behaves across different languages, communities, and identities. At the heart of it all, I'm driven by one question: How can we design technology that truly understands and respects the people it serves?

Currently, I am a third-year graduate student in the Human-centered Analytics Lab at the University of Notre Dame. I am advised by Prof. Ahmed Abbasi. In my work, I combine computational modeling, large-scale data analysis, and fairness evaluation frameworks to investigate how systems interact with diverse linguistic and cultural contexts. This interdisciplinary approach allows me to bridge technical innovation with real-world applicability, to ensure that my research addresses both performance and equity considerations.

Beyond research, I serve as a recruitment ambassador for the The Graduate School, helping connect future scholars to opportunities at Notre Dame. I’m also open to collaborations and to sharing my work at talks, panels, and workshops—whether it’s a new idea, a joint project, or an event, I’m just one email away.

Education

• Ph.D. Student, Analytics
  University of Notre Dame
  Ongoing

• M.S., Engineering, Science, and Technology Entrepreneurship
  University of Notre Dame
  2021

• B.S., Computer Science
  Spelman College
  2020