Nick Zingale, Ph. D., is an associate professor of Urban Studies at Cleveland State University and serves as both the Public Sector Liaison and the incoming Academic Director for the IOT Collaborative.
Dr. Zingale’s primary interest includes how individuals adjust, interpret, and make meaning out of their life experiences. Specifically, he’s applied theories of phenomenology (how people interpret situational experience and make meaning) to study human responses to things like terror, NASA, cable car operations, and most recently, individuals who have experienced limb loss that are working with prosthetic devices. He feels that technology is fundamentally shaping humanity.
In regard to why IoT is important, Dr. Zingale says, “By studying technological innovation as a component of the human experience, we can better identify how it impacts that experience and more carefully plan for the positive and negative outcomes,” This is critical in identifying potential ethics problems before they even occur.
When it comes to the specific work that the IoT Collaborative is doing, Dr. Zingale said, “At the IOTC we are not only identifying methods for enhancing technology but for improving how technology enhances society” Moreover, he feels passionately that IOT is something that anyone and everyone should care about because of the unbridled possibilities that accompany it.
Dr. Zingale has high hopes for the IoT Collaborative, saying that the partnership between Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland State will help revolutionize the region into a leader in the advancement of technology. He believes this can be achieved through transdisciplinary research and community engagement to improve citizens’ lives.
