HLS Professor Jonathan Zittrain appointed to SEAS faculty

Harvard Law School (HLS) Professor Jonathan Zittrain ’95, a leading scholar on the legal and policy issues surrounding the Internet, has been appointed to the faculty of the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) as professor of computer science. Zittrain is a co-founder of the University’s Berkman Center for Internet & Society.

“Jonathan’s appointment is a critical step in fostering stronger ties between HLS and SEAS,” said SEAS Dean Cherry A. Murray, the John A. and Elizabeth S. Armstrong Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences and professor of physics. “Given the complexities of issues such as the security and privacy of data and medical records, open access scholarship, and the changing nature of digital identities — from social networks to gaming avatars — understanding the connections between law and technology is increasingly important. We believe that by leveraging the strengths of both our Schools, Harvard will become a leading player in this exciting interface.”

The author of “The Future of the Internet — And How to Stop It,” Zittrain’s scholarly work bridges theory and experiment, prototyping tools for and on the Internet. His concept of the shifting roles of public and private institutions is the intellectual underpinning for StopBadware, a large-scale empirical study of the flow of Internet malware online.

“I am delighted that through Jonathan’s work, we are able to foster strengthened ties to the Engineering School,” said HLS Dean Martha Minow. “Jonathan’s work has long drawn upon his background in computer science, and his groundbreaking analysis combines legal, political, and technological analyses in helping to shape and reassess the quickly changing field of cyberlaw. His new appointment to SEAS strengthens his work, offers new opportunities for collaborations between our Schools, and deepens Harvard’s commitments to creative and comprehensive thinking about the challenges and opportunities of this digital age.”

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