Patrick Ball is a leading innovator in applying scientific measurement to human rights. He has spent more than 20 years designing databases and conducting quantitative analysis for truth commissions, non-governmental organizations, tribunals and United Nations missions El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, South Africa, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, and Perú.

From 1993-2003, he worked at the American Association for the Advancement of Science in the Science and Human Rights Program. His most recent work is an estimate of the total deaths in Peru, 1980-2000, conducted on behalf of the Peruvian Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Patrick has received several awards. This year on April 13, the Electronic Frontier Foundation presented him with their Pioneer Award. In August 2002, the Social Statistics Section of the American Statistical Association gave him a Special Achievement Award. In June 2004, the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) gave Patrick the Eugene Lawler Award for Humanitarian Contributions within Computer Science and Informatics.

Patrick is currently involved in HRDAG projects in Sierra Leone, Chad, Sri Lanka, East Timor, Colombia, and others.

Session: Human rights and new communication technologies: building an architecture of participation