Allison Starks, PhD

Dr. Allison Starks is a Clinical Assistant Professor at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development where she teaches and conducts research within the Educational Communication and Technology program and in collaboration with local schools. Her work focuses on the intersection of human development and the algorithmic age, specifically investigating how emerging technologies impact the social and emotional growth of children and adolescents.

Through her community-engaged research, Dr. Starks also co-designs interventions for the responsible and ethical use of technology, including AI literacy interventions and technology policies (e.g., smartphones, genAI). Her research argues that digital design must move beyond a “one-size-fits-all” adult approach to address the unique developmental affordances and risks inherent in youth technology use.

Dr. Starks brings extensive field experience to the conversation, having served as a Learning Technology Coordinator and a middle school classroom teacher for over a decade prior to earning a PhD. She has led research-practice partnerships (RPP) and Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) projects that empower students to identify challenges in digital communication and advocate for prosocial online behaviors.

A recognized expert in digital citizenship and policy, Dr. Starks contributed original commentary to help shape the National Educational Technology Plan for the U.S. Department of Education. She holds a PhD in Education from the University of California, Irvine, where her doctoral research examined children’s sensemaking of data flows and algorithms on platforms like YouTube and TikTok.

COI Statement: Dr. Starks has nothing to disclose.