Rob studies how political information is acquired, interpreted, and propagated through networked media structures. His current research is focused on the collective norms and standards that shape the practices of media outlets that serve different audiences.
Rob has been a Senior Researcher at the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy and previously served as the Research Director at the Berkman Klein Center. He, along with Yochai Benkler and Hal Roberts, is the author of Network Propaganda.
Rob has worked in Latin America and Asia on issues related to economic development, public policy and environmental management. He has held research positions at the Harvard Institute for International Development and at Harvard’s Center for International Development where he worked on applied research projects focused on the role of natural resource management in economic development. At the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Rob designed and carried out participatory regional planning studies using geographic and economic simulation tools to assess the economic, ecological, and social implications of urban development. Rob has worked in numerous South Asian countries while living in Nepal, where he taught science as a Peace Corps volunteer and ran an adventure travel business.
Rob holds a M.A. and PhD. from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania.
