Meet Diana Bowman, the ASU Law Dean Behind the U.S.'s First Smart Region
Educator, futurist, and wicked problem-solver, Dr. Diana Bowman is an expert in emerging technologies and well-equipped to inform and advance innovation efforts in Greater Phoenix.
Bowman is a Professor of Law in the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, where she serves as the Associate Dean for Applied Research and Engagement, and the School for the Future of Innovation and Society, at Arizona State University. She is also Co-Director of the Center for Smart Cities and Regions at ASU, and the ASU lead and member of the Executive Leadership team for The Connective—a smart region consortium working to make Greater Phoenix the most innovative and connected region in America.
Bowman’s research has focused on the development of smarter governance and regulation of innovation associated with emerging technologies such as nanotechnologies and autonomous vehicles. Her experience also extends into public health law and policy with a focus on road safety, assisted reproductive technologies, and water safety.
Her work with The Connective focuses on empowering the over 22 cities within the Greater Phoenix area to band together in creating the nation’s largest smart region, by developing and implementing technology scalable solutions in the areas of connectivity, mobility, equity, and sustainability.
Bowman calls The Connective’s approach ‘Citizen-centric’. “This is about going out to our group of communities, asking them what their biggest challenges are, and then working in partnership to build out technologies or solutions,” she says. “It is very much collective action for the greater good.”
In addition to her work, Bowman has co-edited 10 books and published over 130 peer-reviewed journal papers and chapters. Her writing has appeared in leading journals such as Nature Nanotechnology, Nature Materials, Law & Policy, and Regulation & Governance. Recently, Bowman co-authored the article ‘Defining Smart Cites Through Mobility and the Autonomous Vehicle’ for the American Bar Association.
