The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and Georgetown University have announced a $30 million commitment to launch an institute that will serve as a hub for the growing network of scholarship shaping how technology is used to produce, disseminate, and access information. 

The Knight–Georgetown Institute (KGI) will join Georgetown’s Tech & Society Initiative, a cross-campus network of centers and institutes engaged in interdisciplinary collaboration, research, and action at the intersection of technology, ethics, and governance. The institute aims to elevate and distill the most salient, actionable insights from the academic field and make the Knight Research Network accessible to policy makers, private-sector leaders, journalists, and civil society. 

“The two institutions seek to translate research findings to inform practical decision making on information technology,” said Georgetown provost Robert M. Groves. “The need to understand the ways networked technologies impact our information production systems and our democracy is vital to our shared futures.” 

“The need for tech-smart, timely policy decisions on citizen information in our democracy is urgent,” said Knight Foundation president Alberto Ibargüen. “Through this institute, we aim to bolster scholarly research and dialogue with leaders, paving the way for policies that foster a more informed citizenry capable of discerning its own interests and common good.” 

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