John Sylvia IV

Fitchburg State University - Global Challenges Teaching Award

John Sylvia IV is an Associate Professor of Communications Media at Fitchburg State University, where he has co-founded an undergraduate major in Digital Media Innovation and a Master’s in Digital Media. His research and teaching explore the philosophy and ethics of communication, with particular attention to how media shapes democratic participation, enables authoritarian capture, and transforms our sense of self. He has written about how Russia used social media to wage cyber warfare and is researching alternative social media approaches that focus on joy. He holds a Master’s degree in philosophy from The University of Southern Mississippi and a Ph.D. in Communication, Rhetoric, and Digital Media from North Carolina State University. When he’s not in the classroom or at his desk, he’s likely hiking, pedalling, or paddling his way through New England with his family. This award will give him the opportunity to connect his Data & Society course with the University of Glasgow, building a transatlantic exchange around how data and AI are reshaping democratic life.