Speaker Profile

Steven Johnson
Author and Columnist

Steven Johnson is the best-selling author of four books on the intersection of science, technology and personal experience. His writings have influenced everything from the way political campaigns use the Internet, to cutting-edge ideas in urban planning, to the battle against 21st-century terrorism.

His latest work, the national bestseller “Everything Bad Is Good For You,” was one of the most talked about books of 2005. Johnson argues that the popular culture we love to hate — TV, movies, video games — is getting better and is making us (and our children) smarter. In addition to his books, Johnson is a contributing editor for Wired magazine and a monthly columnist for Discover magazine. He is a Distinguished Writer In Residence at the New York University Department of Journalism. He lectures widely on technological, scientific, and cultural issues, both to corporate and education institutions.

Johnson was the cofounder and editor-in-chief of FEED, the revolutionary Web magazine blending technology, science and culture with a truly innovative interface. Newsweek named him one of the “Fifty People Who Matter Most on the Internet.” In addition to his columns, he’s published in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Nation and many other periodicals. He’s also appeared on many high-profile televisions programs, including “The Charlie Rose Show,” “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” and “The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer.”