My name is Dmitry Epstein, but many know me as Dima. Currently, I am a postdoctoral fellow with the interdisciplinary Cornell eRulemaking Initiative. My main institutional home is in the Law and Public Policy Program at Cornell Law School, but in addition to law scholars I am working with researchers in the Information Science Department and in the Scheinman Institute on Conflict Resolution. Together, we are trying to help people get engaged in government policymaking processes using web-based tools. I encourage you to check out our website where you will find more information about the project and can experience our tools and practices (at the time of this update, we are working with the US Department of Transportation on live rulemaking about accessibility of airline websites and check-in kiosks in the airports).
I studied for my PhD at the Department of Communication at Cornell University, where I remain a member of the New Media + Society group. My research focuses on media, information, and communication technology policy. I am deeply involved in the Global Internet Governance Academic Network where I have served twice on the program committees for the annual symposium and where I am currently part of the membership committee. Over the years I developed a research program that tackles this broad area along two complimentary threads. The first thread focuses on the policymaking processes and the international governance of media, information, and communication. The second focuses on the social and political implications of media, information, and communication technologies, specifically the practices of technology use and the politics of communication platforms. I view these two threads as two sides of the same coin, as my research on policy informs the questions I am asking about the politics of technology and the practices of its use; at the same time, my research about the social and political implications of media, information, and communication technologies informs my analysis of policy and policymaking processes. You are invited to browse the Research page for additional information about my research interests.
I enjoy exploring new intellectual frontiers and expose myself to various schools of thought. In 2010 I participated in ISOC Next Generation Leaders Program including their e-learning component. In 2009-2010 I spent a semester as a research fellow at the Information + Innovation Research Centre at the Lee Kuan Yeu School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore. Previously, I spent a summer working with the Internet and Democracy project of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard and I have also participated in the Diplo Foundation Internet Governance Capacity Building Programme. Prior to that I had a chance to work with a consulting firm in Washington, DC and in a Venture Capital during the merry times of the late 1990’s. I am still getting occasionally involved in consulting projects related to telecommunication policy and research.
My other passion, closely related to my research, is social entrepreneurship with particular focus on youth. I’ve had an opportunity to help a number of bright young men and women to start projects in developing countries where they are trying to “do well, while doing good.” Currently I am involved in helping to maintain the Human Network – a network of aspiring socially responsible young entrepreneurs – and in establishing Contribut-e – an enterprise aimed to help fund primary education in developing countries. You are invited to browse the Projects page for more information on some of my past and ongoing projects that are not necessarily research related. For a more formal CV, you can visit my LinkedIn profile or download a PDF version for further details about publications and conference presentations.
This website is a continuous “work in progress.” I am always thinking about changes I would like to make to it and from time to time I manage to implement them. If you have questions about the site itself, such as comments policy, referrals you see on the website, etc., you may want to explore the Site FAQ section. If you have suggestions, please share them with me.
The blog here is used for thoughts on media, technology and society. Basically I set it to put my thoughts to discussion. Following an old Russian saying about “truth being born in an argument”, I hope to learn and contribute to the brainstorming…
(last updated, November 2011)