There are high expectations that emerging technologies, like 3D printing or nanotechnology, will have immense positive benefits on society; however, many new innovations bypass the world’s most marginalized populations leading to further poverty and inequality. In this lecture, Dr. Woodson will discuss some of his most recent research findings highlighting the challenges of matching technology with need. Dr. Woodson draws upon a range of information, including data from the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), clinicaltrials.gov, and interviews with innovators in the field.

Dr. Thomas S. Woodson is an assistant professor at Stony Brook University in the Department of Technology and Society. He specializes in science and technology policy and international development. For his current projects, Thomas is investigating the effects of emerging technologies on poverty and inequality throughout the world and he is developing better programs to train engineers to engage with the community and create solutions that work for all.