He was a member of the Gruppen for Ressursstudier ("the resource study group") established by Jørgen Randers and partner at Ressurskonsult, a consulting firm that explores the intersection of energy, technology, and society.

[8] Additionally, he has demonstrated how mobile communication enhances social cohesion within small groups and has become an integral part of societal structure.

[9] His book Taken for Grantedness (MIT Press 2012)[10] explores how mobile communication has become an integral part of society, similar to mechanical timekeeping, and was reviewed in the journal Science.

His earlier book, New Tech, New Ties (MIT press 2008), won the 2009 Goffman Award from the Media Ecology Association.

[12] Ling is a founding co-editor of the SAGE journal Mobile Media and Communication (along with Veronika Karnowski, Thilo von Pape and Steve Jones).

He is also a founding editor (along with Gerard Goggin and Leopoldina Fortunati) of the Oxford University Press series on mobile communication.