Application Developers Alliance and the University of Colorado Boulder’s ATLAS Institute Team Up To Advance App Innovation Research

Press Release
Washington, D.C. (May 1, 2013) - The Application Developers Alliance has established the Alliance Research Fellowship at the University of Colorado Boulder’s ATLAS Institute. The goal of the fellowship is to further understanding of the dynamics at play in the app development ecosystem. The ATLAS Institute has appointed Ph.D. student Sid Saleh the inaugural Application Developers Alliance Research Fellow.

“The Alliance is thrilled to partner with the ATLAS Institute to provide first-of-its kind insight into the developer community and innovation in the apps industry,” said Jon Potter, President of the Application Developers Alliance. “This allows us to tailor our programs and advocacy efforts to meet the needs of developers. Furthermore, our ground-breaking research will give policymakers insight into the work developers are doing, their contributions to our economy, and the challenges they face.”

Saleh has launched two research inquiries. The first is an ongoing poll of application developers, aiming to accurately describe the developer community. The survey includes the number and different types of developers, the kind of work they are doing, the specific challenges they face, and how these are evolving over time. The second study was launched in conjunction with the Alliance’s Developer Patent Summits and looks into developers’ experiences with the software patent system.

“We are honored to have the Application Developers Alliance associated with the work of ATLAS through support of our Technology, Media and Society Ph.D. program,” said John Bennett, Director of the ATLAS Institute and Archuleta Professor of Computer Science at the University of Colorado Boulder. “The ATLAS Institute’s focus on interdisciplinary, technology-related research makes us particularly qualified to partner with the Alliance in exploring a wide variety of issues that matter to the developer community. Our scholarship incorporates real-world data and practical challenges. We expect the research the Alliance Fellow conducts will provide unique insight into an industry that has such an impact on global digital society.”

About the Application Developers Alliance
The Application Developers Alliance is an industry association dedicated to meeting the unique needs of application developers as creators, innovators, and entrepreneurs. Alliance members include more than 20,000 individual application developers and more than 100 companies, investors, and stakeholders in the apps ecosystem.

About the ATLAS Institute, University of Colorado Boulder A campus-wide initiative, the ATLAS Institute leads discovery and innovation at the intersection of technology and society. We seek to better understand the interaction of people with information and communication technology (ICT), and to realize the full potential of that interaction. ATLAS interdisciplinary programs help develop creative designers, critical thinkers, effective leaders, capable learners, transdisciplinary innovators and engaged global citizens. Contact: Courtney Lamie, Application Developers Alliance 202-250-3006 (desk) Bruce Henderson, ATLAS Institute 303-735-0899 (desk)