Block Center for Technology and Society
Turning Research into Policy and Practice
The Block Center for Technology and Society is dedicated to the interdisciplinary, scientific investigation of the economic, organizational and public policy impacts of new and emerging technologies and their deployment in society.
We aim to study the societal consequences of technological change, develop innovative policy interventions that ensure the benefits of technological change are shared across society, and identify, develop, and promote the use of advanced technologies to address the social and economic needs of society.
Explore Our Work
What's new from Block?
How recommendation algorithms influence behavior and what regulators should know
Recommendation Algorithms influence what we watch, buy, and listen to. In September, The Block Center for Technology and Society brought together academics from disciplines including computer science, economics, law, management, and public policy to discuss the evolving policy landscape surrounding recommendation algorithms for our Tech Policy Forum in Washington D.C. Read the Block Center team's synthesis of the key insights that emerged throughout the day.
All Block News
Highlighting Student Perspectives on Technology
Perhaps no group is more affected by -- and has more opportunity to shape -- emerging technology than college students. Technology such as AI can be awe-inspiring, terrifying, underwhelming, and really annoying -- sometimes all at once. We want to hear about your experiences, your perspectives, your hopes, and your concerns.
The Block Center for Technology & Society invites CMU students to take part in Tech Takes. Each month, the Center posts a new prompt about a current issue in technology and society. Students can respond with a short written reflection, and some months, with original visual art.
Selected work is published with attribution in the Pittsburgh Review of Books (PRoB) under the creator’s name. Each month, one written reflection is named the “Block Center Student Perspective of the Month” and receives a $250 prize. When a Call for Art is open, one artwork also receives a $250 prize.
Connecting students to research opportunities
The Block Center facilitates connections between students and research happening here at CMU. Are you a student interested in having faculty see your resume for research opportunities? Sign up for our resume pool!
Are you a CMU faculty member looking to hire a student RA? Reach out to blockcenter@andrew.cmu.edu!
