Dr. Philip Roessler is Professor of Government and the Director of the Digital Inclusion & Governance Lab (DIGLab) at William & Mary. His research centers on the political economy of development, including the adoption and impact of digital technologies in emerging economies, the historical roots of comparative political development, and the causes of conflict. His work has appeared in journals such as Nature, World Development, and the American Political Science Review, and he has a forthcoming book, Seeds of Change: The Cash Crop Revolution, Colonialism, and the Making of Modern Africa. 

His recent research on digital technology examines strategies to reduce the mobile gender gap; the uptake and use of digital payments; and democratizing access to generative AI. Dr. Roessler was a co-PI on the Instant Payment Systems initiative at Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) and leads William & Mary’s interdisciplinary Applied Research & Innovation Initiative on “Generative AI and Democracy.” He also serves on the advisory board of WEE-Connect at the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development in Bangladesh.