Christoph Becker

Christoph Becker is a Full Professor at the University of Toronto, holding joint appointments in the Faculty of Information and the School of the Environment. He leads the Just Sustainability Design lab, focusing on transforming computing to align with sustainability and social justice. His research bridges critical theory, digital curation, and software engineering, emphasizing long-term societal impacts of technology.

Education:

• PhD in Computer Science, Vienna University of Technology (2010)
• MSc in Economics & Computer Science, Vienna University of Technology (2007)
• MS and BSc in Computer Science, Vienna University of Technology (2006/2004)

Research Interests: Sustainable computing, digital preservation, ethics in technology, and participatory design. His work critically examines the politics and values embedded in technology design, with projects addressing urban sustainability and equitable systems. His 2023 book Insolvent: How to Reorient Computing for Just Sustainability won multiple awards and is a seminal text in the field.

Awards:

• Finalist, AAP PROSE Awards 2024 (Engineering and Technology)
• Best Paper Award, 6th International Conference on ICT for Sustainability (2019)
• Emerald Literati Network Award (2016)
• Connaught New Research Award (2015-2016)

Grants & Leadership: Director of the Digital Curation Institute (2014-2024), funded by NSERC, CFI, and Ontario Research Fund. Supervises multiple PhD/Master’s students, including Eshta Bhardwaj and Han Qiao. Active in organizing workshops on ethics, requirements engineering, and sustainability.

Labs & Initiatives: Leads the Just Sustainability Design lab, advocating for computing practices that prioritize environmental and social equity. Collaborates with global organizations on digital preservation tools and policies.