Francine Berman

Francine Berman is the Director of Public Interest Technology and Stuart Rice Research Professor at the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences (CICS), University of Massachusetts Amherst. She also serves as a Faculty Associate at Harvard University’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society. Berman previously held roles as Vice President for Research at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Director of the San Diego Supercomputer Center. Her research focuses on the societal impacts of technology, particularly the Internet of Things (IoT), and data stewardship. She co-founded the Research Data Alliance (RDA), now a global community with over 15,000 members.

Education:

• B.A., Mathematics, UCLA, 1973
• M.A., Mathematics, University of Washington, 1976
• Ph.D., Mathematics, University of Washington, 1979

Research Interests: Berman’s work bridges technology and public policy, emphasizing ethical frameworks for IoT, digital preservation, and the governance of emerging technologies. She advocates for a cultural shift toward tech that prioritizes societal good over profit-driven exploitation.

Awards and Recognition:

• Inaugural ACM/IEEE-CS Ken Kennedy Award (2009)
• Paul Evan Peters Award (2020)
• Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2019)
• Member of National Council on the Humanities (2015–present)

Leadership Roles:

• Board of Trustees, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
• Former Chair, Anita Borg Institute Board of Trustees
• Co-Chair, National Academies Board on Research Data and Information

Labs/Initiatives: Leads UMass Amherst’s Public Interest Technology initiative, fostering interdisciplinary solutions to tech’s societal challenges. Key projects include RDA and the Stewardship Gap Project.