Researching Digital Equity: With People, For People

In October, the Federal Reserve Banks of Dallas, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Kansas City convened the first-ever Digital Inclusion Research Forum (DIRF), bringing together researchers and practitioners to highlight the latest in digital inclusion research, emerging methodologies, and best practices in the sector. In order to access the broadband funding made available by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), all states have to develop plans for how they will use these funds to build broadband networks and achieve digital equity. Insights from current research and practice can guide and support this important work. We’ve been reflecting on what we learned at DIRF, not simply the outcomes of research projects from around the country but, more broadly, an approach to researching digital equity.

[Dr. Revati Prasad is the Vice President of Programs at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society. Dr. Erezi Ogbo is an Assistant Professor at North Carolina Central University and a Marjorie & Charles Benton Opportunity Fund Fellow.]