About the Center

The Center on Technology, Data and Society (CTDS) at Arizona State University examines how technology and data reshape economies, communities, and governance. Housed in the School of Public Affairs at Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, the center brings together faculty with deep expertise in computational social science, causal inference, machine learning, natural language processing, and geospatial analytics to produce rigorous, policy-relevant research.

Our work is organized around four research themes: generative AI and computational social science, economic development and public policy evaluation, innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems, and AI, technology, and governance. Across these themes, CTDS faculty partner with governments, nonprofits, and communities to translate evidence into practice - addressing questions about the societal consequences of technological change, drivers of economic development, the role of AI in government, and the benefits of innovation ecosystems.

The center's research is supported by funding from the National Science Foundation, the Anthropic Economic Futures Grant, the Korea National Research Foundation, the Australian Research Council, and the MacArthur Foundation, among others.

CTDS faculty also lead the Digital Innovation and Literacy Certificate (DILC) program for public servants and contribute to the Program Evaluation and Data Analytics (PEDA) master's degree, training the next generation of data-informed leaders in public service.

We are proud to be part of ASU's School of Public Affairs, ranked #2 in the nation in Information and Technology Management within Public Affairs programs by U.S. News & World Report.