Stories from the Field (of Networking): Lessons from Deploying Research Systems in the Real World.

Abstract

As computer science has grown in importance throughout the world, there's been a similarly growing drive to apply foundational computer science to address core societal issues. For networking researchers, this effort has largely focused on bringing the benefits of Internet access to marginalized populations. In this work, we reflect on more than a decade of our own work deploying such research into the world in all of rural, urban, developed, and developing regions. We share key lessons and related stories that have influenced they way we do this type of work. We conclude with a call to other researchers to add their own stories to share back to the wider networking research community.