Lauren Herckis is a Carnegie Mellon University anthropologist specializing in faculty culture and the use of technology in higher education. She is appointed in Carnegie Mellon’s  Dietrich College of Humanities & Social Sciences,  Human-Computer Interaction Institute,  Simon Initiative, and Block Center for Technology and Society.

Her research explores the ways that people engage with innovative technologies, how innovation shapes culture, the potential of virtual and augmented reality “spaces” to function as meaningful social places, and how social networks dynamically impact technical choices and the development of informal economies. Current projects examine the intersection of campus culture, technological change, and effective teaching.

A Fulbright recipient, Dr. Herckis’ work has also been funded by the National Science Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and the Hillman Family Foundations. Today, her research informs policymaking, shapes the development of learning technologies, and illuminates aspects of organizational culture and policy that affect teaching in colleges and universities around the world.