Hi there! I'm Rehan, a PhD student at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania.
My research explores how digital platforms shape what we believe, how we interact, and whether those interactions help or harm our communities. I am a computational social scientist who also draws on experimental and qualitative methods. My current projects focus on community moderation, online discourse quality, and algorithmic design and governance, with a particular interest in how thoughtful platform design can promote information integrity and prosocial behavior.
I am pursuing this research under the supervision of Professor Sandra González-Bailón, and am affiliated with the Center for Information Networks and Democracy at Penn.
This site is a space to share my research projects, writing, CV, and the occasional blog post to document my PhD journey. I've built Pensieve, a tool I use to process and semantically search my research notes and the papers I've read. Take a look here, or set up your own version here! I've also put together some advice for prospective applicants based on what I've learned along the way.
Whether you're a potential collaborator, a prospective student looking for advice, or just want to chat tech and policy – please feel free to reach out. Let's connect!
More about me
I've worked across academia, the policy world, and the private sector, on topics including technological innovation, public policy, public health, and economics, bringing a cross-disciplinary lens to my research.
Most recently, I was a Research Associate at the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School, and previously at the University of Birmingham's School of Government. Earlier in my career, I worked in strategy consulting at L.E.K. Consulting. I've also contributed to research and strategy projects with organizations such as UNICEF, Trustible, and Digital Policy Alert.
I continue to collaborate with groups like the Prosocial Design Network and the Integrity Institute (check out the Tech Policy Tracker!), with the belief that research should not only inform, but actively shape better practices and policies in the tech world.
I hold degrees from the University of Cambridge (BA Economics), University College London (MSc Global Health and Development) and Harvard Kennedy School (Master of Public Policy).
Outside of research, I love singing (especially musical theatre!), writing when inspiration strikes, and unwinding with yoga, meditation, or a long walk listening to a podcast.