Jeff Downard is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at NAU and teaches courses in ethics, law, and environmental protection. His research interests are broad but centered on the foundations of experimental methods of inquiry and applying these methods to the study of the healthy evolution of moral and legal principles in modern societies. Recent inquiries into the pragmatic application of blockchain systems to improve transparency and trust in the private and public sectors for the sake of addressing problems of structural injustice are part of this longer-term effort. His main ethical focuses are on data and electronic information and leadership.