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Francine Berman is the Director of Public Interest Technology and Stuart Rice Research Professor in the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She is former Director of the San Diego Supercomputer Center, former Vice President for Research at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and co-founder of the international Research Data Alliance.

Fran is the inaugural recipient of the ACM/IEEE-CS Ken Kennedy Award for "influential leadership in the design, development, and deployment of national-scale cyberinfrastructure" (2009), recipient of the 2020 Paul Evan Peters award (given by Educause and the Association of Research Libraries), an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration. She was nominated by President Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to become a member of the National Council on the Humanities in 2015. In 2024, she was awarded the Pioneer in Tech award by the National Center for Women in Technology.

Fran’s current research interests focus on Public Interest Technology, the social and environmental impacts of the Internet of Things, and data policy, cyberinfrastructure, stewardship and preservation. She currently serves as a Trustee of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and previously served as Chair of the Anita Borg Institute Board of Trustees, promoting the recruitment, advancement, and retention of women in technology.


Community

WAMC Northeast Public Radio

1/3/23 RT Panel

BKC Faculty Associate Fran Berman joined Alan Chartock of WAMC Northeast Public Radio, Jim Ketterer, and Sarah Rogerson in a roundtable discussion of issues in the news and beyond.

Jan 3, 2023
The Harvard Gazette

Fixing the Internet will require a cultural shift

A Q&A with Francine Berman

May 28, 2021
The Conversation

The tech field failed a 25-year challenge to achieve gender equality by 2020 – culture change is key to getting on track

Francine Berman shares her personal story in tech, and how the field can change

Aug 26, 2020
The Harvard Gazette

The good, bad, and scary of the Internet of Things

BKC faculty associate Francine Berman on the question that keeps her up at night: Is the Internet of Things a future utopia, or is it a future dystopia?

Feb 25, 2020
Association of Research Libraries

Francine Berman to Receive Paul Evan Peters Award

Award recognizes lasting achievements in innovative use of network-based information resources

Feb 3, 2020
Everyday Matters

Don’t Leave It All to Facebook

The U.S. Should Do More To Protect Our Data Privacy

Who makes sure that companies collecting your personal data operate in ways that benefit, rather than exploit, you?

Oct 12, 2018