Desmond Upton Patton

Desmond Patton is a Public Interest Technologist who uses qualitative and computational data collection methods to examine the relationship between youth and gang violence and social media; how and why violence, grief, and identity are expressed on social media; and the real world impact these expressions have on wellbeing for low-income youth of color.

During PLS, Patton developed a tech incubator for the development of VR/AR and game simulation content for violence prevention through SIM|ED. SIM|ED is housed in the SAFElab at Columbia University School of Social Work and is comprised of individuals who were formerly incarcerated, professors, and students in social work and computer science.