Computational Humanities, Arts, & Social Sciences (CHASS)
CHASS stands for Computational Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, including public health, and it means applying computational and data-science tools within these subject areas. For some, the combination of techniques and skills in CHASS is unfamiliar territory. Others view it as the way of the future.
In 2021-2022, Profs. Neha Gondal (CDS and CAS-Sociology) and Wesley J. Wildman (CDS and School of Theology-Philosophy, Theology & Ethics) distributed a survey to select BU faculty, aiming to generate a preliminary profile of interest in CHASS within BU. They sent the survey to faculty whose research history indicated an interest or whose departmental leadership thought they might be valuable informants. Almost half participated, representing 23 departments from eight schools and colleges. The big priorities expressed by respondents were helping with collaborative research and grantsmanship followed by supporting graduate students and CHASS-relevant courses.
On this basis, CDS launched a CHASS initiative in 2022-2023, with several priorities including the development of CHASS-related courses, methods, and learning resources. A Wired-In Quick-Chat video resource library was created and based on brief introductory talks given during spring 2023.