Michael L. Best is currently a faculty associate with the Berkman Center for Internet & Society where he focuses on the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for social, economic and political development. In particular he studies mobile and internet-enabled services and their design, impact and importance within low-income countries of Africa and Asia. He researches engineering, public policy and business issues as well as methods to assess and evaluate development outcomes. Michael is also interested in the impact of ICTs on the development-security nexus and on post-conflict reconstruction and reconciliation.

In addition to his appointment with the Berkman Center, Michael is currently an Associate Professor jointly appointed to the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs and the School of Interactive Computing at Georgia Tech where he is also research faculty with the GVU Center and directs the Technology and International Development Lab. He also directs the Program in Information and Communication Technologies for Development at the Center for International Strategy, Technology and Policy. Michael is co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of the top-rated journal, Information Technologies and International Development. He is a frequent consultant to the World Bank, USAID and the ITU. He holds a Ph.D. from MIT and has served as Director of Media Lab Asia in India and head of the eDevelopment group at the MIT Media Lab.