Katie Davis

Dr. Katie Davis is Associate Professor at the University of Washington (UW) and Director of the UW Digital Youth Lab. For nearly 20 years, Katie has been researching and speaking about the impact of digital technologies on young people’s learning, development, and well-being.

Katie uses the insights from her research to design positive technology experiences for youth and their families and to provide practical guidance to parents, educators, policymakers, and technology designers. At UW, she mentors undergraduate and graduate students and teaches courses on child development and technology design.

She has published more than 90 academic papers and is the author of three books, all exploring technology’s role in young people’s lives: Technology’s Child: Digital Media’s Role in the Ages and Stages of Growing Up, Writers in the Secret Garden: Fanfiction, Youth, and New Forms of Mentoring (with Cecilia Aragon), and The App Generation: How Youth Navigate Identity, Intimacy, and Imagination in a Digital World (with Howard Gardner). In each, Katie aims to make sense of the often-confusing landscape of research and media messages about kids and technology.

Professional Background

Prior to joining the faculty at UW, Katie was a research scientist at Harvard Project Zero, where she was part of the team that collaborated with Common Sense Media to develop the first iteration of their digital citizenship curriculum.

She began her professional life as an elementary school teacher in Bermuda, an experience that inspired her to dedicate her career to understanding and supporting children’s learning and development. She holds two master’s degrees and a doctorate in Human Development and Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Four years ago, Katie and her son, Oliver, moved to Germany so that Katie could take a position as a visiting research scientist in the Human Computer Interaction Lab at Hasso Plattner Institute in Potsdam.

The experience was a thrilling one for both Katie and for Oliver, who was just two years old when they moved. Now back in Seattle, neither will forget what it was like to be immersed in a new language, culture, and educational system.

EDUCATION

• EDD, Human Development and Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education, 2011
• EdM, Risk and Prevention, Harvard Graduate School of Education, 2009
• EdM, Mind, Brain, and Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education, 2002
• BA, English, Williams College, 2000

AWARDS

• Mid-Career Scholars Award - Society for Research on Adolescence (SRA), 2021
• Best Paper Nomination - CSEDU 2020 (Computer Supported Education), 2020
• CoMotion-Population Health Innovation Fund Award - University of Washington, 2018
• Early Career Development Award - National Science Foundation, 2015
• Nominated for UW Distinguished Teaching Award - UW Center for Teaching and Learning, 2015
• Rising Star recognition - Association for Psychological Science, 2015
• Academic Career Enhancement (ACE) Award - Yahoo!, 2013