J. Nathan Matias, Author at Citizens and Technology Lab

Scott Loarie, Executive Director of iNaturalist, presenting at the 2025 CAPS meeting, in front of a screen with photos of people collecting images.

For Fun, Science, and Action: Scott Loarie on iNaturalist

May 2025

How can people who might not see themselves as scientists have fun while contributing to science and making a difference […]

A large collection of cars, buses, cabs, and pedestrians are stuck in a traffic jam that stretches in multiple directions at an intersection in New York City.

Fixing the Traffic Jam in the Science of Technology Safety

April 2025

Why does it take so long for science to spot harmful technology products and support the search for safer alternatives? […]

A picture of an old fashioned balance scale made out of gold, sitting next to a sleek white laptop on a pristine desk

CAT Lab’s recommendations to NTIA on Ethical Guidelines for Research Using Pervasive Data

January 2025

On January 15, 2025, CAT Lab submitted recommendations to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration on crafting ethical guidelines for research […]

A picture of a person sitting on top of legal bookx, next to a person having a conversation about law and technology platforms

Building Bridges for Science in Technology Litigation

January 2025

As governments pass more technology regulations and the public becomes more aware of the harms of digital technologies such as […]

Image of a partially woven rug. Vertical white threads are visible on top half of the image and covered by horizontal colored threads creating a pattern on the bottom half.

Working with Data at CAT Lab

October 2024

We’ve released a guide for collaborators, students, and anyone who wants to steward research data the CAT Lab way.

This dramatic print shows the destruction of Pennsylvania Hall, a large building that was constructed in 1837--38 at Sixth and Haines Streets in Philadelphia as a meeting place for local abolitionist (antislavery) groups. Dedication ceremonies began on May 14, 1838, and continued over several days in a climate of growing hostility from anti-abolitionist forces in the city. On the night of May 17, 1838, an anti-abolitionist mob stormed the hall and set it on fire. Fire companies refused to fight the blaze, and the building was completely destroyed. A large crowd looks on, as firefighters spray water on an adjoining building.

Freedoms of Assembly and Association in Digital Technologies

October 2024

When a pro-slavery mob set fire to Pennsylvania Hall in downtown Philadelphia on the night of May 17 1838, there […]

Mentoring Post-Docs in Publicly-Engaged Science and Action

September 2024

How can research labs mentor post-docs to grow their leadership, equipping them to build influential, inclusive, and flourishing endeavors that […]

Succulent plants and mosses grow inside of a spherical glass terrarium.

Standing Up for Researchers Who Face Intimidation

September 2024

Today, the Citizens and Technology Lab (CAT Lab) at Cornell University is adding our voice and our commitment to the […]

How Critical Design Transforms Ideas and Our World

June 2024

How can scientists, technologists, and activist-scholars learn to create positive transformations in our work and our world? And how can […]

Contributing to the US National Strategy for STEMM Equity & Excellence 2050

May 2024

How can the US support future generations to bring collective creativity and brilliance to the big questions in science and […]