Dr. Deb Roy

Biography

Deb Roy is a Faculty Associate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University and a professor in Media Arts and Sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He directs the MIT Center for Constructive Communication (CCC), where he leads research focused on designing human-AI systems to foster dialogue and civic participation. As a co-founder and unpaid CEO of Cortico, he is dedicated to developing platforms that amplify underheard voices and enhance public dialogue. Roy has served on various advisory boards, including the Knight Amendment Institute and FRONTLINE. With a rich academic background, he previously held a visiting professorship at Harvard Law School and was the executive director of the MIT Media Lab. Roy's significant contributions include the founding of Bluefin Labs, a media analytics company absorbed by Twitter, where he served as Chief Media Scientist and authored numerous academic papers, including one on the spread of false news that was notably featured in Science magazine. His TED talk about his son's language development has also gained widespread recognition. Originally from Canada, Roy's education includes a Bachelor of Applied Science from the University of Waterloo and a PhD from MIT.

Research Interests