Critical Environmental Data Studies Workshop

February 17–18, 2026
Cornell Tech Campus, Roosevelt Island, New York City
Evening reception on February 16; workshop concludes February 18 at 3:30 p.m.

Join leading scholars for a two-day workshop at Cornell Tech exploring the critical role of data in shaping agrifood systems and environmental governance. Through interdisciplinary dialogue, we’ll examine how emerging technologies—from Earth Observation to AI—intersect with questions of equity, power, and sustainability.

We invite scholars from media studies, STS, law, information science, critical AI studies, platform studies, anthropology, geography, environmental studies, and related disciplines. Both established and early-career researchers are encouraged to participate.

Overview

How do data-driven tools and digital logics shape agrifood systems and environmental governance? This two-day workshop convenes scholars from diverse disciplines to critically examine the promises and pitfalls of datafication in sustainability transitions. We will explore:

• Drivers, interests, and institutional contexts structuring investment and innovation
• Ontological and epistemological questions about knowledge systems and power in data design
• Progressive efforts to leverage data science for more just and accountable sustainability outcomes

Interested participants should submit a 500-word abstract by December 5, 2025. Working manuscripts (2,500–3,000 words) will be circulated ahead of the workshop to support discussion. Complete manuscripts will be collected in May 2026 for inclusion in a special issue addressing key issues, interdisciplinary methodologies, and future directions.

Submit questions or abstracts to:

• Steven Wolf (Cornell University) – saw44 [at] cornell.edu (saw44[at]cornell[dot]edu)
• Yuxing (Yolanda) Zhang (Harvard University) – yuxingzhang [at] fas.harvard.edu (yuxingzhang[at]fas[dot]harvard[dot]edu)