I am Full Professor of responsible digitalisation and co-founder and Head of the School of Social Sciences at Hasselt University. I am also part-time Professor of Media and Communication Studies at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and affiliated with imec and SMIT (Studies on Media, Innovation and Technology).
My research lies at the intersection of media and communication studies, science and technology studies (STS), and responsible digitalisation. I study how public values can be identified, safeguarded, and strengthened in data-driven technologies and AI from a citizen-centred, ‘on the ground’ perspective. My work focuses on three main challenges: developing technologies that reflect public values, strengthening meaningful participation and control for users, and improving the governance of digital infrastructures through cooperative responsibility among stakeholders. These questions are explored across the sectors of (social) media, education, health, and public services, with particular attention to digital transformation, data rights, privacy, digital platforms, AI, EdTech, and user empowerment.
I teach on grand societal challenges, including disinformation, public values in digital platforms, and user innovation. A central strand of my work is connecting research with policy and practice. I collaborate with public authorities, businesses, media organisations, and civil society, and have advised European, Belgian, and Flemish initiatives on the design, governance, and use of digital technologies.
Since 2016, I have regularly co-organised the international Interdisciplinary Summer School on Privacy. I advise public-sector and EdTech platforms on responsible digital transformation, including as Chair of Smartschool’s Independent Advisory Board. Internationally, I am an elected member of Academia Europaea (Academy of Europe) and contribute to the governance of IAMCR (International Association for Media and Communication Research).