Computational Social Science Capstone Project

Professor Martin Hilbert is a distinguished academic at the University of California, Davis, where he serves as the Chair of the Department of Computational Social Science. His research focuses on the impact of digital information and algorithms within complex social systems. Dr. Hilbert holds dual doctorates in Economics and Social Sciences (2006) and in Communication (2012), and he is affiliated with both the Communication and Computer Science departments at UC Davis. He is widely recognized for his groundbreaking study that quantified the amount of information in the world and for designing the first digital action plan in collaboration with Latin American and Caribbean governments at the United Nations. Additionally, he was one of the first to raise concerns about Cambridge Analytica's influence on elections before the scandal emerged. Prior to his academic career, Dr. Hilbert worked for 15 years as an Economic Affairs Officer at the United Nations, where he developed the Information Society Program for Latin America and the Caribbean, providing technical assistance to over 20 countries. His extensive research has been published in prestigious journals such as Science and World Development, and he is frequently featured in major media outlets including The Wall Street Journal and NPR. Fluent in five languages and having lived on four continents, Dr. Hilbert brings a truly international perspective to his work, having traveled to over 70 countries throughout his career.