معرفی
David Lazer is a University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Political Science and College of Computer and Information Science at Northeastern University. He directs the Lazer Lab at Northeastern's Network Science Institute and is a co-leader of the COVID States Project. His work bridges political science and computational social science, focusing on how technology-mediated environments shape group learning, consensus formation, and opinion dynamics in political contexts.
Dr. Lazer's research interests span computational social science, misinformation dynamics, democratic deliberation, collective intelligence, and algorithmic auditing. His work examines complex social dynamics in both physical and online spaces, developing network-based models for predicting complex systems and supporting effective decision-making. He investigates how information spreads through social networks, how consensus forms in groups, and how technology platforms influence political discourse and behavior.
Lazer's recent publications reveal strong trends in studying social media's impact on mental health, political polarization, and information quality. His work frequently employs large-scale data analysis from social media platforms, survey research across multiple states, and experimental approaches to understand how people form beliefs and make decisions in networked environments. His research increasingly focuses on the intersection of mental health, social media usage, and political attitudes.
- Fellow, National Academy of Public Administration (2019)
- CHIP50 Warren J. Mitofsky Innovators Award (2025)
- Top 2% Scientists Worldwide by Stanford University Annual Assessment (2024)
Dr. Lazer has served as Principal Investigator on more than $30 million in research grants. He advises numerous PhD students in Network Science at Northeastern University, including Hanyu Chwe, Burak Özturan, Hong Qu, Alexi Quintana Mathé, Alyssa Smith, Ata Aydin Uslu, and Allison Wan. His lab, the Lazer Lab, is part of Northeastern's Network Science Institute and focuses on computational social science research. The lab has attracted significant external funding and has produced influential research on misinformation, social networks, and political behavior.
The Lazer Lab at Northeastern University's Network Science Institute conducts cutting-edge research at the intersection of political science and computer science. The lab includes postdoctoral researchers, staff members, and PhD students working collaboratively on projects related to social media analysis, misinformation detection, network dynamics, and computational social science methodologies. The lab has developed influential tools and datasets used by researchers worldwide and maintains active collaborations with other institutions through initiatives like the National Internet Observatory.
