The Columbia Institute for Tele-Information (CITI) is one of several research centers for Columbia Business School, focusing on strategy, management, and policy issues in telecommunications, computing, and electronic mass media. It aims to address the large and dynamic telecommunications and media industry that has expanded horizontally and vertically drive by technology, entrepreneurship and policy.
Founded in 1983 at Columbia University, the institute is the first research center for communications economics, management, and policy established at a US management school. Its location in New York City provides a unique foundation for these activities. Research collaboration among academic, corporate, and public sectors is vital in analyzing the complex problems associated with managing communications enterprises, systems, and policy in environments of rapidly changing technology and regulation.
In 2000, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation selected the institute as its fifteenth academic center for industry research and the only one for the field of telecommunications. This enables CITI to substantially expand its program of research on the telecommunications sector. CITI conducts research on all forms of networks, IT, and electronic media industries. The Sloan Foundation's main objective is for each of its centers to build an academic base of observations and knowledge in order to make practical contributions to the industries studied and accelerate U.S. economic development and global competitiveness. It aims to foster academic-industry collaboration and to develop scholarly expertise by educating the next generation of doctoral students.
The Columbia Institute for Tele-Information is directed by Professor Eli Noam. The Institute is part of Columbia University's traditionally strong role in communications research, going back to Paul Lazarsfeld (audience research methodologies), Edwin Howard Armstrong (FM radio), Michael I. Pupin (long distance transmission), Harvey J. Levin (economic regulation of broadcasting), and Charles Townes and Arthur Schawlow (laser). The Columbia Institute for Tele-Information draws upon the excellent resources of several university departments beyond the Columbia Business School. The School of Engineering and Applied Science is a technology center focusing on the integration of telecommunications networks. The School of Journalism studies the impact and applications of new technology for Journalism. The Institute for Learning Technologies at Teacher's College studies and develops new technology applications. The Law School is strong in issues of intellectual property. The School of the Arts has major involvement in content production such as film. And the School of International and Public Affairs deals with global policy issues.
The Institute's research activities are determined by the University's academic principles, and the advice of an Advisory Board drawn from industry, universities, government, and other sectors. All research is public.
In 2012 CITI initiated a Fellows Program. Benjamin Compaine is the Director of the Program. The 25 Fellows selected each year are high level government and corporate policy makers along with leading academic and nonprofit researchers. Fellows are expected to participate in monthly virtual one hour seminars held using a video conferencing platform. Speakers are asked to present content that is forward looking, offering new data, raising impending issues and promoting discussion among the Fellows. Speakers often benefit from the feedback provided by the expertise of the assembled Fellows. All sessions are held under the Chatham House Rule
Fellows for 2017-2018:
Jonathan Aronson-- Prof., Communications & Intl Relations, University of Southern Calif.
Jonathan Askin -- Prof., Brooklyn Law School
Robert C. Atkinson-- Director of Policy Studies, CITI and co-director CITI Fellows
Johannes Bauer --Prof. of Telecom, Michigan State University
Erik Bohlin --Prof., Tech Assessment, Chalmers University, Sweden
Julie Brill— Corporate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Microsoft
Ben Compaine –Co-director and Senior Fellow, CITI
Michelle Connolly--Professor of the Practice of Economics, Duke University
Bill Dutton -- Director, Quello Center, Michigan State University
Robert Frieden -- Pioneer Professor-School of Communications, Penn State
Martha Garcia-Murillo -- Professor- University of Syracuse
Andrea Glorioso - -Counselor, ICT & Digital Economy, Delegation of the EU to the USA
Heather Hudson -- Director of Telecom Mgmt, University of San Francisco
Jonathan Levy- -Deputy Chief Economist, Federal Communications Commission
Michael Nelson --Internet Studies, Georgetown University
W. Russell Neuman-- Prof, Media Technology, NYU School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Andrew Odlyzko—Professor, School of Mathematics, University of Minnesota
Jean Prewitt --President and CEO, Independent Film & Television Alliance
Gregg Sayre --Commissioner, New York State Public Service Commission
Henning Schulzerine-- Former Chief Technology Officer, Federal Communications Commission
Marvin Sirbu--Prof., Engineering and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University
Larry Strickling, former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information
Elena Vartanova --Dean, Faculty of Journalism, Moscow State University
Leonard Waverman, dean of the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University
Kevin Werbach--Professor, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Steve Wildman --Senior Fellow, Silicon Flatirons Center and visiting scholar, University of Colorado
Christopher Yoo Professor,--University of Pennsylvania Law School
Speakers have included:
Ed Richards, U.K.Ofcom
John Perry Barlow, Electronic Frontier Foundation
Reed Hundt, past chairman, U.S. Federal Communications Commission
CITI's Harvey J. Levin Working Paper Series was first established in 1983 and completed in 1994, following Dr. Levin's death. It is named for the noted communications economics pioneer, who was an Affiliated Research Fellow at the Institute and a former Columbia professor and Ph.D. graduate.
^"About Us". Columbia Institute for Tele-Information. Archived from the original on 2014-04-21. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
