2026 Student Paper Competition Finalists

Thank you to everyone who submitted papers to the TPRC 2026 Student Paper Competition. We were impressed by the outstanding quality of this year's submissions and appreciate the time, effort, and innovative research contributed by so many talented students.

We also extend our sincere thanks to the members of the TPRC Program Committee for their thoughtful reviews and dedication throughout the selection process.

We are delighted to announce the following finalists (listed below). The winners will be recognized during the TPRC54 Student Paper Competition Awards Ceremony, which will take place on Saturday, September 26, during the conference luncheon.

"AI Localism - Counter Imaginaries from City AI Governance"

Bhavana Bheem, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Samuel Gerstein,  University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Bhavana Bheem is a Computer Science PhD student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, whose dissertation sits at the intersection of algorithmic justice, public-sector AI/technology policy, and human-computer interaction. Her work is driven by the goal of empowering communities and stakeholders to audit, contest, and influence the deployment of AI technologies.

Samuel Gerstein is a recent graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a B.S. in Computer Science and a B.S. in Statistics. He is interested in post-capitalist intersections with technology, the impacts of AI technology on local communities, and potential futures for digital degrowth. He is a Data Management Professional at Bloomberg.

"Policy Design and Strategic Compliance: Incentives of Crypto Exchanges under EU's MiCA Framework"

Yagiz Sen, Budapest University of Technology and Economics

My name is Yagiz Sen, and I am a 22 year old Computer Science Engineering graduate from the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) in Hungary. I am originally from Türkiye, and over the years I have had the opportunity to study and live in different countries, including Dayton, Ohio, in the United States.

I have always been passionate about technology and enjoy building software and developing games in my free time. I am currently the lead developer of an indie game called Starfall for Roblox, a project I have been developing for the past year.

Outside of software development, I have a strong interest in cryptocurrency, financial markets, and regulation. These interests inspired my recent research, which explores how regulatory frameworks shape the behavior and incentives of cryptocurrency exchanges, with a particular focus on the European Union's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation.

I entered the cryptocurrency space in 2022 during the bear market, which made for a challenging start but also taught me a great deal about market dynamics, risk management, and the industry. I enjoy studying recurring market and economic cycles and understanding how they influence investor behavior and long-term trends. I also enjoy following politics and analyzing how geopolitical and economic events affect financial markets.

When I am not coding or researching, I enjoy playing chess, ice skating, and following hockey and football. I am always excited to learn new things, explore different perspectives, and connect with people who share similar interests.

"Generative AI as the Third Crisis of the Press: Inequality, Trust, and the Future of Publics"

Juan Ortiz Freuler, University of Southern California and Bumju Jung, University of Southern California

Juan Ortiz Freuler recently completed a PhD in Communication at USC Annenberg, where he researched digital infrastructure, platform governance, and media law and policy. Juan’s dissertation explored government strategies for digital strategic autonomy amid weaponized technological interdependence.

Juan’s research has been published in the Temple Law Review, New Media & Society, Internet Policy Review, International Journal of Communication, Journal of CyberPolicy, and Global Media and China. He also is actively engaged in public debates. His work has appeared in Wired, The Washington Post, Rest of World, Tech Won’t Save Us, CNN, and Euractiv, among others.

Originally from Argentina, his research agenda emerges from sustained engagement with policymakers, tech managers, and human rights practitioners across the world. Juan has designed and managed the process that led to the Contract for the Web, a global initiative to protect digital rights launched by web inventor Tim Berners-Lee. He was also a Fellow (2017–2018) and Affiliate (2019–2024) at the Harvard Berkman Klein Center, coordinated research for UNESCO, and convened workshops where human rights activists and policymakers explored trends in digital rights and human rights in order to re-design their strategic approaches to urgent problems.

Bumju Jung (he/him) is a Ph.D. candidate at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California. His research examines how artificial intelligence (AI) shapes the production, circulation, and interpretation of political and persuasive messages, with a focus on authenticity, public opinion formation, and the changing dynamics of the public sphere.