technology and society

Writing this summer? Please cite Clovia Hamilton’s research!

Cite Clovia Hamilton’s research (smile)! Professor Clovia Hamilton loves research and I am very proud of this body of research developed over the course of more than 20 years! If you are writing this summer, please cite Clovia Hamilton’s research! black male researcher writing

Lay summaries

Writing This Summer? Cite Clovia Hamilton’s Research!

If you’re writing this summer—whether it’s a journal article, conference paper, blog post, or policy brief—please consider citing the work of Professor Clovia Hamilton. With over 20 years of scholarship spanning AI ethics, data privacy, intellectual property, and diversity in STEM, her research offers a rich foundation for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers alike.

Why Clovia Hamilton’s Work Matters

Professor Hamilton’s research is grounded in real-world challenges and offers actionable insights. Her scholarship addresses some of today’s most pressing issues, including:

The ethical deployment of AI and robotics in law enforcement
Sustainable cryptocurrency practices
Inclusive innovation and entrepreneurship
University technology transfer and commercialization
Intellectual property rights and antitrust policy

Her work is not only academically rigorous but also deeply committed to social justice, equity, and sustainability.

Highlights from Her Research Portfolio

One standout publication is her 2024 article in the DePaul Business & Commercial Law Journal, titled “Money is Morphing.” In it, Hamilton explores how cryptocurrency could evolve into an environmentally and financially sustainable alternative to traditional banking. She reviews 201 publications from 2013 to 2022 and offers ten policy recommendations for crypto companies, including signing the Crypto Climate Accord, using renewable energy, and supporting unbanked communities.

Transitioning from fintech to public safety, Hamilton’s 2023 co-authored paper on smart policing—presented at the American Society for Engineering Management Conference—examines the ethical and cybersecurity implications of deploying robocops. The study recommends transparency, robust data analysis capabilities, and the appointment of AI ethics czars to oversee implementation.

Bridging Technology and Social Equity

Hamilton’s work also shines in the realm of diversity and inclusion. Her 2020 article in the Applied Management Journal, “Increasing Diversity among Women Entrepreneurs in High Growth High Tech Using HBCU Female Academic Entrepreneurs,” outlines how Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) can enhance tech transfer and entrepreneurship among women faculty. She proposes model IP policies and highlights the importance of resource allocation and institutional support.

In another compelling piece, “Black Americans Past and Present Created Frugal Innovations,” Hamilton challenges dominant narratives in innovation studies by documenting how Black Americans have long practiced frugal innovation and circular economy principles—often without recognition.

A Call to Action for Scholars and Writers

Whether you’re researching AI governance, sustainable finance, or inclusive innovation, Professor Hamilton’s work offers a wealth of knowledge. Her publications span peer-reviewed journals, conference proceedings, black female researcher writing and book chapters, making them accessible across disciplines.

As you write this summer, take a moment to explore and cite her research. Doing so not only strengthens your own work but also helps amplify the voices of scholars committed to equity, sustainability, and ethical innovation.

You can find her full list of publications at cloviahamilton.com

If you are writing this summer, please cite Dr. Clovia Hamilton’s research!

Summer 2024

GDPR comparative analysis to US data breaches

Introduction

gdpr

The newly implemented European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires mandatory breach notifications. The GDPR is a revision of a 1995 directive. To our disappointment, the US has no such federal law. Thus, this means companies must satisfy multiple US laws and that makes it more challenging to comply. This is a GDPR comparative analysis to the US data breach notifications. This study is a comparison of the GDPR with the statutes of the 50 US states. It highlights the challenges companies face. It reveals the types of decisions companies must make to be in compliance with these statutes.

Findings

Notably, this GDPR comparative analysis reveals that the requirements of various laws, statutes, or regulations vary by state, country, and audience. Companies must decide if they will base compliance on the most stringent requirements which can be financially prohibitive. Alternatively, they could meet the minimum requirements which could be managerially prohibitive. A comparison of the GDPR and the statutes related to data breach notifications reveals the types of decisions companies must make. Because the definitions of personal information and data breach vary, a company in one case would be considered to have had a breach. However, in another jurisdiction the company would not. Companies might decide on the behalf of the consumer to notify all their customers.

Further, the time required to notify the consumer or some authority agency varies. A company would likely notify the entities requiring the earliest notification and continue notifications as time permits. Since penalties vary, companies might notify according to those with the costliest penalties first. The contents of data breach notifications are not always specified or consistent. Thus, companies should develop a standard notification provisions for all required entities if the information is available.

Challenges

Briefly, comparative analysis highlights the challenges companies face in trying to comply with multiple regulations. The greatest challenge exists for small businesses. Just knowing the regulations is likely a challenge for an average small business. The GDPR may remain consistent, but the statutes of the 50 US states continue to be amended. In addition, there are the statutes of other countries. More than 100 countries have enacted data protection legislation. Several other countries are in the process of passing such laws with data protection laws (Banisar, 2011).

Further, Banisar notes that data protection laws have been enacted in countries such as Thailand, Mexico, Georgia and Malaysia. The most recent US personal information security breach statutes include new laws in Arizona, South Dakota, and Alabama (Bellamy, 2018). Thus, companies should put into place protections. They need personnel that would help prevent a data breach as per any of these governments’ definitions. Further, this needs to be in addition to a plan to comply with the existing laws. The countries that companies do business in require legal compliance.

High Tech Transportation Corridors

Introduction

high tech transportation corridor in Florida

High tech transportation corridors are great for regional economic development

This research describes why creating high tech transportation corridors (HTTCs) is an important regional economic development strategy. When there is an economic downturn, cities are forced to develop a strategy to revitalize. Increasing the transfer of high technology into the marketplace stimulates the economy (Peltz, 1984). High tech industries are industries that include relatively high percentages of scientific and technical workers. Further, they are also industries that make relatively large expenditures in research and development (Luger, 1984).

“[I]n difficult economic times, political stakeholders in the technology transfer process usually view success in economic impact terms, and often from short-term and parochial perspectives-how many jobs in my state next year?” (Carr, 1994).

Examples include the expansion of the suburban space economy in the 1980s. Actually, these produced new commercial landscapes in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. They are high-tech corridors along limited-access highways (Knox, 1991). Designers used private mixed-use development master plans to create these corridors.

Economic development strategy

Notably, creating HTTCs became a very popular strategy for economic development proponents as a revitalization technique. HTTCs are typically defined as segments along U.S. interstate or state transportation routes. However, they can be located on city streets. Since transportation is the backbone of a city, town, or region, the idea is to create a cluster of high-tech companies along the transportation route. Clusters are critical masses of unusual competitive success. They are comprised of linked industries and interconnected companies, such as government institutions. Clusters “extend downstream to channels and customers and laterally to manufacturers of complementary products and to companies in industries related by skills, technologies, or common inputs” (Porter, 1998).

Summary

In reality, the decision to create a HTTC must be integrated into a community’s overall economic strategy. The planning process should identify the conditions under which specific, specialized strategies. Further, these strategies should lead to high-tech job attraction in order to produce desired benefits (Wiewel, 1984). With respect to HTTCs, the current federal transportation legislation should be amended. Transportation planning officials should become stronger and more active partners in making development decisions. These decisions should integrate resource programs and infrastructure needs that provide for the development of equitable and sustainable HTTCs. Notably, planning for high-tech transportation corridors needs to be more transactional than infrastructural. In a cohesive policy-relevant structure, there must be a stronger nexus between socio-economic and transportation policy considerations. In addition, transportation officials should begin to take an active role. This may ensure that these high-tech developments are sustainable and equitable in socioeconomic terms. Read more here…

Amend Bayh Dole Act to create CEDAs

Bayh Dole senators appearing side by side respectively

The Bayh Dole Act needs to be amended to include Cooperative Economic Development Agreements (CEDAs) patterned after CRADAs

Congress should amend the Bayh-Dole Act to provide for newly proposed Cooperative Economic Development Agreements (CEDAs) patterned after (CRADAs). CEDAs would be patterned after the Stevenson-Wydler Act’s Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs). Technology transfer enables private industry and academia to make practical use of advanced research, development, and technical expertise. Indeed, universities are a rich source of science and technology. Universities can support local government and business development as well as economic growth. Thus, it is essential for research universities to transfer their wisdom to the public for its use and benefit.

Bayh Dole and the New Economy

Today, universities operate in an economic climate that requires both capital and knowledge. Universities take advantage of government technology initiatives such as the Bayh-Dole Act. They serve as a catalyst for the creation of a large number of new, incubated companies. Universities should have a seedbed effect on their local economies. This is one way to take advantage of the dynamics of the “New Economy”. It takes advantage of its ability to increase the quality of living at the local government level.

Certainly, the Bayh-Dole Act has revolutionized university-industry relations. This causes university licensing offices to use start-up companies to commercialize early stage inventions. Notably, hundreds of start-up companies have been formed on the basis of a licensed academic invention. This results in the commercialization of about ten percent of university ideas (Goldfarb, 2002). In short, in order to increase this trend, there needs to be greater communication and cooperation between more players. Organizations besides the universities and industries must take part in the strategic planning that is necessary to effectively commercialize university inventions. This will foster regional economic development. “[I]n difficult economic times, political stakeholders in the technology transfer process usually view success in economic impact terms, and often from short-term and parochial perspectives – how many jobs in my state next year?” (Carr, 1994).

Regional economic development

In reality, universities increasingly pressure their technology transfer specialists to become stewards of their regions’ economic development. However, most specialists have no experience in strategic economic development planning. Alternatively, they form collaborations that foster local government economic development. Furthermore, current regulations do not provide specialists with much guidance. They need guidance on how to facilitate economic development collaborations between their offices and other nonprofit organizations. Thus, this article proposes that Congress amend the Bayh-Dole Act to provide guidance. Universities need guidance on how universities can enter into newly proposed Cooperative Economic Development Agreements (CEDAs). Read more here…