Technology and Democracy Research Hub
Mission
The Technology and Democracy Research Hub examines how social media, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies influence political behavior. Through rigorous research and collaboration with community members and practitioners, the Hub generates insights with national impact, contributing to the broader understanding of democracy’s evolution in the digital age.
· Measuring Social Media Trends and Civic Participation: Examining how online discourse influences voter behavior, political engagement, and trust in democratic institutions.
· The Role of Generative AI, Polarization, and Misinformation in Democracy: Analyzing how emerging technologies contribute to the spread of false information, political division, and public trust in media.
· Platform Design, Policies, and Civic Engagement: Investigating how social media platforms’ algorithms, moderation policies, and content recommendation systems shape civic participation and democratic discourse.
Applications for our Fall 2026 Internship have closed.
Please check back later this year for applications for our Spring 2027 Cohort!
Summer 2026 Cohort
Michelle Rozenfeld
Michelle Rozenfeld is a rising sophomore in the Honors College at Rutgers University majoring in Environmental Policy and minoring in Science Communication. She works as a Data Analyst for Rutgers Economics Labs, a Copy Editor for The Daily Targum, and a Marketing Assistant for the Department of Human Ecology. She also serves on the E-Board of the Honors Peer Mentor Program, is President of Kol Halayla A Cappella group, and is Co-Lead Writer for the HC Media Team.
Amanda Goceljak
Amanda Goceljak is a junior majoring in Political Science with a minor in Business Administration. Outside of interning with the Rutgers Democracy Lab, she hosts a music show on WRSU-FM Rutgers Radio, serves as a College Avenue Representative in RUSA, and gives prospective student tours as an Honors College Ambassador. She is interested in exploring how to uphold democratic values within strategic decision-making, especially at the cross-section of social media, technology, and foreign policy.
Sunny Ajitabh
Sunny Ajitabh is a junior at Rutgers majoring in English and Data Science, with a minor in Computer Science. On top of being a summer intern at the Technology and Democracy Research Hub, Sunny is a copy editor at the Daily Targum, an Aresty Research Assistant, and the editor-in-chief for NOVA, a youth-led digital literary magazine. After college, she plans on pursuing a Masters in Communication and Media Studies.
Seleena Busi
Seleena is a rising sophomore in the Honors College double majoring in Computer Science and Data Science with a minor in Critical Intelligence Studies. On campus, she is involved in organizations like the Undergraduate Student Alliance of Computer Scientists and Society of Women Engineers, and is conducting research on AI-powered air pollution detection and drift-diffusion modeling of cognitive processes. In her free time, she enjoys playing badminton, crafting, and exploring the creative tech space.
Chelsea Sisule
Chelsea Sisule is a rising junior majoring in Chemical Biology and Biomathematics. Outside of coursework, Chelsea conducts research in the Sun Lab, and brings research experience in molecular docking, protein structure prediction using AlphaFold, and data analysis on protein studies related to drug discovery for diabetes. She hopes to pursue an MD/PhD and make meaningful contributions to the field of chemical biology.
Previous Cohorts
Bella Ayres Bella Ayres is a sophomore double-majoring in English and Philosophy with a minor in Psychology. She is a legal intern at the Matus Law Group, Internal Vice President of the Rutgers Pre-Law Society, and an Aresty Research Assistant. Bella plans to attend law school and pursue a career in estate planning or copyright law. | 
Daniel Benimovich Daniel Benimovich is a sophomore in the Rutgers Honors College majoring in Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Business Administration. His interest in technology and democracy stems from independent research on social media and young men's mental health. Daniel also volunteers as an EMT. | 
Lewis Fang Lewis Fang is a student at the Rutgers Honors College majoring in Political Science and Piano Performance. Outside of the Hub, he is a research analyst for the Rutgers Consulting Group. Lewis is a self-published author of 3 books and enjoys researching aviation and misinformation in his free time. |
Julien Thiberge Julien Thiberge is a junior Electrical Engineering major. He maintains autonomous underwater gliders for marine science research, works at the Princeton University Art Museum, and is a member of the IEEE-Eta Kappa Nu Honor Society. He is interested in propaganda, ocean engineering, and science policy.
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Venya Tiwari Venya Tiwari is a sophomore studying Aerospace Engineering. She is a Trade Study Lead for the Rutgers STAR SpiceSAT Structures Team. She worked as a Consulting Analyst for the Rutgers Consulting Group. She hopes to work at the intersection of aerospace engineering, technology, and AI policy.
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Recent News
Freedom House and Rutgers Democracy Lab are pleased to announce a strategic partnership connecting Rutgers students with Freedom House's leading experts on media and technology.
The RDL Democracy Summer Research Fellowship funds 25 projects led by doctoral students from Rutgers - New Brunswick, Camden, and Newark from 15 academic disciplines.
New initiative within the Rutgers Democracy Lab at the Eagleton Institute of Politics will examine how social media, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies influence political behavior.
Media Literacy Resources
Media literacy is a "necessary, inevitable, and realistic response to the complex, ever-changing electronic environment and communication cornucopia surrounding us." (National Association for Media Literacy Education)
Here are some tools and reference materials to improve your awareness of problematic content and navigate the constant stream of information more confidently.
The American Psychological Association defines misinformation as false or inaccurate information, or "getting the facts wrong."
Disinformation is false information which is "deliberately intended to mislead – intentionally misstating the facts."
The spread of both misinformation and disinformation has serious consequences for our democracy; the first step to combatting it is being able to recognize it.
Rutgers University Libraries: Evaluating Information and Identifying Information & Media Bias
These research support tools include tutorials, quizzes, and videos that cover the basics of evaluating resources for authority, accuracy, and other criteria.
Fact-Checking Tools:
Contact
For questions or to get involved, please email Eyal Hanfling or Atl Castro Asmussen.