Lindsay Smith

Lindsay Smith is an Associate Professor of Science, Technology & Innovation in the Borderlands at Arizona State University’s School for the Future of Innovation in Society. She also holds an affiliation with the School of Life Sciences as an Interdisciplinary Graduate faculty member, and serves as a Senior Global Futures Scientist within the Global Futures Scientists and Scholars program. Her work bridges human rights, medical anthropology, and forensic science to explore how technologies like genetics and GIS shape justice in post-conflict Latin American contexts. Smith leads the STSborderlands working group, examining colonialism and technology in the Mexican Borderlands.

Education:

• B.A. Rice University
• M.A. Harvard University
• Ph.D. Harvard University

Research Interests: Smith investigates how communities adapt scientific technologies to challenge state violence and impunity. Her work focuses on:

• Forensic genetics and human rights activism
• Genetic ancestry and national identity in Argentina
• Technologies of displacement in border zones
• Decolonial science pedagogy

Recent Scholarship Trends: Her articles (2021–2025) emphasize interdisciplinary approaches to forensic science’s role in transitional justice, ethical dilemmas in genetic technologies, and border ecologies. She critiques scientism while advocating for community-driven scientific practices.

Awards:

• NSF CAREER Award (Principal Investigator)

Advising & Grants: As PI of an NSF project on hybrid migration technologies, she examines surveillance-human rights intersections in the U.S.-Mexico border. Her STSborderlands initiative fosters transnational collaborations.

Labs/Teams: Leads the STSborderlands working group, which integrates scholars from anthropology, science studies, and global health to address border technologies and colonial legacies.