The ResPECT lab engages in robust, socio-technical analysis of data systems that shape science, public policy, and society. A key focus area is privacy-preserving data access– from analyzing the deployment of differential privacy in the 2020 US Census, to exploring how data users work with privacy-noised datasets released by the Wikimedia Foundation.
We approach our work from critical, multidisciplinary perspectives including Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Communication, Sociology, and Science & Technology Studies (STS).
We are looking for students who have:
1) background in one or more of the following areas: HCI, theory, data science, statistics, security & privacy, science & technology studies, law, sociology
2) willingness to work across multiple disciplines and take iniative in learning new skills
3) excellent communication and project management skills
4) strong interest in privacy & critical data studies
Prior research experience, especially using qualitative methods, is a plus but not required.
Northeastern is a top PhD program for HCI and cybersecurity. It also sits in Boston’s hub of cutting-edge privacy research, and you can benefit from interacting with researchers across all of these institutions.
Northeastern also offers one of the highest PhD stipends in the country!
The ResPECT lab occupies a unique space in CS, where you can do both critical and generative research about technology. It’s a rare opportunity to bridge CS & STS perspectives to address complex challenges around data privacy and digital systems.
Spend some time reading the lab’s work and consider if we are a good fit. If so, apply to the Northeastern PhD program in Computer Science or Cybersecurity and mark me as a potential advisor. Write a research statement that shows why you would be well-aligned with the ResPECT lab and what you could contribute to the lab’s mission and research agenda.
If you would like to chat with me about the PhD program, you can send me an email. Please share briefly:
(1) your research interests,
(2) why you think we’d be a good fit, and
(3) an idea for future work that builds on one of my existing papers.
Include the word “Dragonfly” in the subject line to indicate you have read through these instructions. If it seems like there is potential for collaboration, I’d love to chat.
This page is inspired by the lab page of my lovely collaborator, Gabriel Kaptchuk.