Image

Laurel Smith-Doerr, professor and associate chair in the Department of Sociology, has been named a 2026-27 visiting scholar by the Russell Sage Foundation (RSF).

While in residence in New York City, Smith-Doerr will be writing a book based on data she has gathered as part of an interdisciplinary project at UMass centering on human drivers in reimagining the future of work in trucking, which is funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and led by Shannon Roberts, associate professor of mechanical and industrial engineering.

For Smith-Doerr’s portion of the project, she has led an inductive, qualitative study examining the power dynamics that shape who benefits from artificial intelligence in the workplace, using the U.S. long-haul trucking industry as a case study. Her book will discuss how truck drivers encounter and resist narratives suggesting that AI can substitute for human decision-making on the job.

Her project draws on two social science traditions: organizational studies of safety and risk in complex systems, including theories of “normal accidents,” and science and technology studies focused on future imaginaries. Through this interdisciplinary lens, Smith-Doerr aims to better understand how the deployment of AI may reinforce or reshape inequality and influence the future of work in the U.S.

The RSF Visiting Scholar program is among the nation’s most prestigious residential fellowship programs for social scientists. Smith-Doerr credits her award in part to support from her collaborators at UMass on the Future of Trucking project, and to the Institute for Social Science Research, which held a formative workshop on applying for the RSF opportunity. 

“I wouldn’t have thought to apply without the ISSR workshop,” she notes. 

Smith-Doerr is among 19 scholars from institutions across the country who will pursue research and writing projects aligned with RSF’s mission to strengthen the social sciences and conduct research seeking to improve social and living conditions.

The Future of Work is a key topic for next year, and projects by other scholars in Smith-Doerr’s cohort will explore issues including residential segregation, climate change, criminal justice reform, disability benefits and public attitudes toward place-based economic policies. 

More information about the program is available on RSF’s website.