By creating new methods, concepts and platforms for confronting uncertainties, Dr. Cynthia Selin’s work-- as a social scientist and as a foresight practitioner— stimulates improved strategic capacities and foresight.

 Dr. Selin’s research and practice is focused on understanding rapid and novel technological change, accentuating the future as an object of study and lever for transformation. She investigates how the future can serve as a resource to make sense of the socio-political uncertainties, ambiguities and complexities surrounding emerging technologies. This involves conducting more theoretical work into the nature and role of anticipation as well as experimenting with and designing new methods of future-oriented deliberation.

Dr. Selin works to apply her methodological inventions to help diverse communities and organizations prepare for unpredictable futures and better manage innovation. Building on more than 15 years experience with scenario planning, she deploys a suite of foresight tools in helping a variety of organizations (cities, NGOs, laboratories, private companies, etc.) to clarify problems, test strategies, identify new opportunities, articulate policy options—all the while enhancing their ability to take better care of the future. Dr. Selin’s applied work is grounded in her scholarly research—she has written over 25 peer-reviewed articles, 10 book chapters, and 3 peer-reviewed special issues. 

Dr. Selin is also an Associate Fellow at the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford and teaches in the Oxford Scenarios Programme.


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