Dr. Benson is an Assistant Professor in the Computer Science Department at Brown University.  His group focuses on developing models and designing algorithms and frameworks to improve the performance and availability of computer networks. In particular, his group explores the critical role that network state plays in determining network performance and availability with the state’s inherent semantics and emergent state management techniques by investigating designs and algorithms to more holistically understand and manage this state. More recently, this approach has been applied to addressing the digital divide, improving microservices/clouds, managing software defined networks, and rethinking CDN designs. These designs and systems have been deployed at web scale companies, adopted by opensource systems, and acquired by a large hardware manufacturer.