Susan Ariel Aaronson

Susan Ariel Aaronson is a Research Professor of International Affairs at George Washington University (GWU) and Director of the Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub. She leads research on AI governance, data governance, and digital trade policies as co-PI of the NSF-NIST TRAILS initiative. Her work focuses on global challenges like AI nationalism, data accuracy, and extended reality (XR). Aaronson is a GWU Public Interest Technology Scholar (2024) and Cross-Disciplinary Scholar (2017).

Education: Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University. Research areas include international trade, human rights, and the governance of AI/data-driven technologies. She explores topics like AI protectionism, cross-border data flows, and the ethical implications of generative AI. Her op-eds appear in Barron’s and Fortune, and she contributes to media outlets like NPR and the BBC.

• Key Projects: Digital Trade Hub (mapping global data governance), TRAILS (AI governance research)
• Funded by: Ford Foundation, Minderoo Foundation

Publications span peer-reviewed journals (Oxford Review of Economic Policy), policy briefs (CIGI Papers), and op-eds. Recent work highlights the need for rethinking trade policies to address digital-era challenges and fostering trust through inclusive governance frameworks.

• Awards: GWU Public Interest Technology Scholar, Cross-Disciplinary Scholar
• Grants: NSF-NIST TRAILS, Ford Foundation, Minderoo Foundation

Labs/Teams: Leads the Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub, a global research initiative addressing data governance and AI policy.