Steve Jackson

Steve Jackson is Professor of Information Science and Science & Technology Studies at Cornell University, with cross-appointments in Communication and Public Affairs. Since July 2023, he has served as Cornell's Vice Provost for Academic Innovation. He previously chaired the Information Science Department and was Dean of William Keeton House.

Jackson's research examines technology ethics, infrastructure sustainability, and global equity through interdisciplinary lenses. Key themes include:

• Infrastructure & Repair: Material foundations of computing, maintenance cultures, and sustainability transitions
• Technology & Inequality: Power dynamics in global development, caste systems in tech, and postcolonial computing
• Ethics & Policy: Data governance frameworks, AI accountability, and human-centered policy design

His work integrates perspectives from STS, HCI, anthropology, and political economy.

His publications emphasize sociotechnical systems, with recent work focusing on:

• Data infrastructure maintenance and governance challenges
• Repair as ethical practice in technology ecosystems
• Critical examinations of AI's social and material consequences

Honors include an NSF CAREER Award and over 20 paper awards at premier computing conferences. Research funding comes from NSF, Ford Foundation, Sloan Foundation, and SSRC.

Jackson founded the Computing On Earth Lab, uniting social scientists, engineers, and artists to study computing's planetary impacts. He advises doctoral students in Information Science, STS, and Communication, including 25+ former advisees now in academia and industry. Current courses include:

• INFO/STS 4260: Computing On Earth (material ethics of technology)
• INFO 1200: Information Ethics, Law, and Policy