Tech & Public Policy Democracy Fellow highlights ‘invaluable opportunities’ to connect with election integrity experts

Georgetown University graduate student Nazli Togrul (CCT’25) shares her experience working on one of the most pressing challenges of our time: safeguarding election integrity and democratic resilience.

How my experience as a Tech & Public Policy (TPP) Democracy Fellow upended my understanding of misinformation: My year-long Democracy Fellowship has been an amazing journey, with opportunities to engage with experts at the intersection of technology, election integrity and democracy.

The fellowship allowed me to utilize my background and experience in combating misinformation and disinformation in the context of one of the most pressing challenges of our time: safeguarding election integrity and democratic resilience in an era of unprecedented digital influence. 

As a Democracy Fellow, I worked with former Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth Kathy Boockvar, president of Athena Strategies, on a periodic misinformation tracking newsletter to break down trending falsehoods and encourage individuals to scrutinize information online. You can read some of our misinformation analysis here .

How I applied my journalism background to the Democracy Fellowship: My experience as a Reuters journalist working on verifying misleading social media content initially shaped my interest in how information is shared online. Now, as a master’s student in the Communication, Culture & Technology program at Georgetown University’s Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, I study mis/disinformation, content moderation and responsible technology.

My work with Athena Strategies revolved around researching and tracking misinformation trends online by identifying how misleading narratives spread, understanding the varied contexts that amplify their reach and examining their impacts on trust in electoral processes. While this is similar to my research interests at Georgetown, the Democracy Fellowship allowed me to expand my analysis into election integrity issues and trust in democratic processes.

The most noteworthy part of the fellowship: Beyond conducting cutting-edge research, I have participated in discussions with scholars, policymakers and election officials, including at TPP’s “Safeguarding Democracy” event , which centered on election officials’ preparedness for the 2024 presidential election. Engagements like this provide invaluable opportunities to connect with leading experts shaping the future of advancing democracy through innovative, interdisciplinary approaches in technology and policy.

Learn more about programs and student opportunities offered by the McCourt School’s Tech & Public Policy program.