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About

Catherine Smith is a leading scholar in the governance of disruptive technologies, with a particular focus on the ethical and policy challenges posed by care robots. Her research critically examines how governments and institutions can responsibly steward emerging technologies, especially in the high-stakes context of aged and disability care. Smith’s most-cited work, “Exploring governance tensions of disruptive technologies: the case of care robots in Australia and New Zealand” (2021, 17 citations), unpacks the regulatory and ethical dilemmas that arise when deploying robots to address the “care crisis.” She reveals how these technologies promise efficiency but also generate unforeseen risks and governance gaps. Her subsequent study, “We’re Still Struggling a Bit to Actually Figure Out What That Means for Government” (2022), further investigates the policy capacity needed to oversee robotic care, highlighting the institutional unpreparedness of public sectors. Through her 2020 piece on “stewarding” disruptive technology, Smith advances a framework for balancing innovation with accountability. Her work is essential reading for policymakers, technologists, and ethicists navigating the complex intersection of robotics, public policy, and social welfare.