Sudhir Venkatesh

Sudhir Venkatesh is William B Ransford Professor of Sociology at Columbia University, a role he has maintained since 1999, and he also holds a position on the Committee on Global Thought. Venkatesh previously led the Integrity Research team at Facebook, focusing on consumer engagement and safety from 2016 to 2018.

He is currently the Lead Social Scientist for Twitter, advising on improving the online health of the platform since Autumn 2018. He also hosts the podcast "Sudhir Breaks the Internet" from the Freakonomics Radio Network. His extensive research and editorial writings have been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and he has appeared on media platforms like This American Life and WIRED. Venkatesh has also produced and directed award-winning documentary and radio productions, including the PBS documentary "Dislocation."

Venkatesh has authored several notable books, including "The Tomorrow Game," "Floating City," "Gang Leader for a Day," and "Off the Books." His book "Gang Leader for a Day" was recognized as a Best Book by The Economist and has been translated into multiple languages, while "Off the Books" received accolades from Slate.com and the prestigious C. Wright Mills Award. His contributions to sociology continue to be recognized widely, with awards such as the NSF CAREER award received in 2000.