Tech for Open Minds

Tech for Open Minds (TOM) is a global initiative to train and connect researchers studying how digital technologies shape open-mindedness, humility, and polarization. Building on The Summer Institutes' long tradition of free, interdisciplinary training, TOM provides a network of in-person events, a major annual conference at Duke University, and an open-source curriculum designed to equip the next generation of scholars with the skills and insights needed to investigate technology's role in fostering—or hindering—constructive dialogue across differences.

TOM expands on the 2024–2025 initiative supported by the Templeton World Charity Foundation, which brought together researchers at 11 international sites to explore these urgent questions. Those institutes produced new lectures, datasets, and collaborations on topics ranging from social media influence campaigns in Nigeria to climate change debates in Brazil. In the coming years, TOM will host a collection of in-person training events each year, bring leading voices to an annual conference, and develop high-quality educational materials for use around the world.

Read the Announcement

Annual Conference

The TOM Annual Conference brings together leading scholars, practitioners, and emerging researchers to present cutting-edge work on digital technologies, polarization, and open-mindedness. The conference is held at Duke University and is free to attend. The confirmed date for the 2026 annual conference is Thursday, April 2.

Conference Schedule

Please note: The schedule is subject to change. Check back for the latest updates.

Time	Session	Details
Thursday, April 2
9:00 – 9:15 AM	Welcome & Opening Remarks	Chris Bail
Morning Session
9:15 – 10:15 AM	🎤 Speaker 1: Sandra González-Bailón	45-minute presentation + 15-minute Q&A
10:15 – 10:30 AM	Break
10:30 – 11:30 AM	🎤 Speaker 2: Akin Unver	45-minute presentation + 15-minute Q&A
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM	Lunch
Afternoon Session
1:15 – 2:15 PM	🎤 Speaker 3: Ceren Budak	45-minute presentation + 15-minute Q&A
2:15 – 2:30 PM	Break
2:30 – 3:30 PM	🎤 Speaker 4: Kiran Garimella	45-minute presentation + 15-minute Q&A
3:30 PM	Closing Remarks

Speakers

Speaker 1 — Morning Session

Sandra González-Bailón

Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania

Speaker 2 — Morning Session

Akin Unver

Ozyegin University

Speaker 3 — Afternoon Session

Ceren Budak

School of Information, University of Michigan

Speaker 4 — Afternoon Session

Kiran Garimella

School of Communication and Information, Rutgers University

Conference Videos

🎬 Videos Coming Soon

Recordings of keynote talks, panels, and paper sessions will be posted here after the conference.

TOM Partner Locations 2026

The following sites received TOM funding for the 2026 cycle. Each location contributes to TOM’s mission through local research incubation and curriculum focused on digital technologies, open-mindedness, and polarization.