Events

Seminars, public talks, and convenings from the Center on Media, Technology and Democracy.

Fall 2026 Seminar Schedule

Penn MEDIATED’s Research Seminar schedule for Fall 2026 is out! The seven sessions will feature in-person presentations from visiting academics as well as Penn Knight Fellows. In addition, the Center will be hosting a panel of journalists who report on technology, the information ecosystem, and academic research in these spaces and fields.

The seminar series is available for in-person attendance (and virtual attendance by request) by University of Pennsylvania faculty, PhD students, and Postdoctoral researchers interested in the empirical study of the information ecosystem. MEDIATED’s non-Penn community affiliates are able to attend select events virtually. More information on upcoming seminars can be found on the regularly updated registration page!

Questions? Email us at contact-us@mediated.upenn.edu!

Fall 2026 Seminar Schedule flyer: seven sessions, Wednesdays 1:00–2:30 PM ET in Amy Gutmann Hall 414, listing each date, speaker, and affiliation. Download the Full Schedule (PDF)

Past Events

October 21, 2025

Democratic Repercussions of Media Fragmentation

Panel discussion at the Democratic Repercussions of Media Fragmentation event

FeaturingDuncan Watts, Sandra González-Bailón, Rasmus Kleis Nielsen & S. Mitra Kalita

On October 21st, 2025, the Center hosted its first public event: the media landscape continues to experience fragmentation, with an ever-expanding number of political influencers, podcasters, online platforms, and generative AI systems — all while traditional mass media has become more ideologically aligned. This event brought together leading media scholars to explore how media fragmentation relates to American democratic decline.

Read the Daily Pennsylvanian coverage
September 12, 2025

Information and Democracy Research Seminar

The Center on Media, Technology and Democracy hosted a new research seminar speaker series in the 2025–2026 academic year, where leading faculty presented on the empirical science of the information ecosystem and its impact on democracy. This seminar series is open to PhD and Postdoctoral students as well as faculty at the University of Pennsylvania who are interested in the empirical study of the information ecosystem. Interested Penn-affiliated scholars can reach out at contact-us@mediated.upenn.edu.

Amir Tohidi presenting his working paper at the September 12th kickoff
Knight Fellow and Penn Postdoc Amir Tohidi presents the working paper “Falsehoods Offer No Persuasive Advantage Over Selective Facts” at the September 12th kickoff of the Information & Democracy Research Seminar.
Alex Engler introducing the Center's mission at the September 12th kickoff
Executive Director Alex Engler introduces the mission and goals of the Center on Media, Technology and Democracy to our new community of PhD and Postdoctoral students during the September 12th kickoff.