Michael L. Best

Dr. Michael L. Best is a Professor at the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs and the School of Interactive Computing at the Georgia Institute of Technology. As Executive Director of the Institute for People and Technology (IPaT), he leads the Technologies and International Development Lab. Previously, he served as founding director of the United Nations University Institute on Computing and Society (UNU-CS) in Macau SAR, China, and as director of Media Lab Asia in India and head of the eDevelopment group at the MIT Media Lab.

Education

• Ph.D., MIT
• MS, MIT
• BS, UCLA

Research Interests focus on Information and Communications Technologies for Development (ICTD), International Diffusion of Technology, and Computing’s role in Global Affairs. His work spans post-conflict communication systems in Sub-Saharan Africa, East/South Asia, and Latin America, addressing Inequality and Social Justice, Digital Communication, and Human-Machine Interaction.

Recent Publications highlight trends in Social Media’s impact on Democracy, Mobile Phones in Post-Conflict Zones, and E-Governance in Developing Countries. His research often bridges Artificial Intelligence, Human-Technology Frontiers, and Inclusive Innovation.

Scientific Contributions

• Founded UNU-CS (2013)
• Co-founded and served as Editor-in-Chief Emeritus for Information Technologies and International Development
• Associate Editor for Global Computing with Communications of the ACM

Dr. Best mentors students and collaborates through projects like the Living Liberia Fabric (AI-based narrative system for post-conflict reconciliation) and MOSES (media for post-conflict healing). He has delivered over 150 invited/keynote lectures globally.