This talk will present findings from joint work with Prof. Janet Vertesi of the Princeton University Department of Sociology. In our project, we examine the consensus building process in remote/hybrid scientific collaborations. We studied the decadal planning processes of three groups of NASA scientists, which occurred during or just after the COVID-19 pandemic. From ethnographic observation and interviews with scientists, we identify three paradoxes of the remote consensus process, united by the general theme that remote consensus processes involve greater diversity of thought but complicate prioritization necessary for decision-making: a paradox of voice, a paradox of constraint, and a paradox of transparency. We also examine some of the consequences of these paradoxes by analyzing the documents produced from these decadal processes.
Bio: James Mellody’s research explores the intersection of technology and coordination. In one stream of work, he uses natural language processing and social network analyses to study coordination in online communities—specifically how individuals with different interests and tastes come together to consume and produce culture in online spaces. In a second stream of work, he uses ethnographic methods to study the impact of technology on coordination in traditional organizations—specifically how people from different backgrounds and areas of expertise can make use of technology to coordinate across differences.
Mellody received a Ph.D. in management, with a focus on economic sociology and organization studies, from the MIT Sloan School of Management. Prior to MIT, he received a B.A. in East Asian languages and civilizations from the University of Pennsylvania.
In-person attendance is open to Princeton University faculty, staff and students. This talk will be open to the public via Zoom at this link. It will be recorded and posted here, on the CITP YouTube channel, and on the Princeton University Media Central channel.
If you need an accommodation for a disability please contact Jean Butcher at butcher@princeton.edu at least one week before the event.
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