Emerson Johnston

Emerson Johnston is a graduate student in Stanford’s History Department, specializing in the history of science, technology, environment, and medicine. Her thesis, advised by Dr. Thomas Mullaney, examines how institutional and historical legacies have shaped the framing of the internet as a telecommunications system rather than a civic or social space. Her broader research explores the sociocultural and geopolitical implications of digital platforms, algorithmic governance, and the intersection of technology and international policy. A Knight-Hennessy Scholar, Emerson holds an M.A. in International Policy from Stanford and dual B.S. degrees in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics and in History, Culture, and Law from Northeastern University.