Summary
Serena Ivery was originally introduced to humanitarian data research through her time participating in Duke University’s Data+ REU summer program. At Data+, Serena studied the transition of ethical consumption during the medieval period. The experience was truly one to remember, and it motivated her to find other humanitarian efforts in need of quantitative and qualitative data. Clearing the Cobwebs is a pun that refers to the development of a web crawler that can be used to identify online human trafficking advertisements. This passion stems from the consistent growth of human trafficking despite the efforts of legislation and non-profit organizations. A major contribution to the problem is a lack of qualitatively structured data. Thankfully, technological advancements show the potential to identify advertisements via a web crawler, or spider, to browse adult soliciting websites. This project discusses the legal efforts within Alabama, then explains the leverage of using a web crawler. Finally, the research shows the beginning motions of the web crawler and the findings. The overall goal is to aid law enforcement in capturing traffickers through the identification of hidden ads while connecting non-profit organizations with survivors. Saving one can help save us all.
Undergraduate Researcher
- Serena Ivery, Birmingham-Southern College 2022-2023, 2023 NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Collegiate Award Recipient
Publications/Presentations