Find Academic Supervisors

Alison PowellView profile

Associate Professor

• Technology Design and Policy
• Public Sector Technology
• Digital Futures
• +5 more

Dr Alison Powell is an Associate Professor in the Department of Media and Communications at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), serving as Programme Director for the MSc Media and Communications (Data and Society). Her research focuses on technology design, public sector technology, and digital futures. She is known for her book Undoing Optimization: Civic Action in Smart Cities (2021) and her participatory research method, data walking. From 2019–2023, she directed the JUST AI network, supported by the Ada Lovelace Institute and UKRI, advancing AI ethics research. Her work integrates critical theory, participatory methods, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Education: PhD in Communication from Concordia University (Canada), MA in Media Studies from Toronto Metropolitan University, and postdoctoral research at the Oxford Internet Institute. Prior to academia, she worked in the film and TV industry. Research interests include civic engagement in data-driven governance, ethical AI, and participatory urbanism. She has advised projects like Africa Just AI and Operationalising Ethics for AI, funded by Horizon Europe, AHRC, and the Open Society Foundations. Her articles address topics such as AI governance, urban light ecology, feminist research praxis, and the ethical implications of technology for marginalized communities. She contributes to blogs like Media@LSE and leads initiatives at Polis and the LSE’s Digital Futures for Children project. Grants and collaborations include work with Projects by IF, Open Rights Group, and the Human Data Interactions Network (EPSRC). She explores intersections of technology, justice, and sustainability, emphasizing equitable and inclusive innovation.

Damien CharrierasView profile

Associate Professor

• Cultural Studies
• Media Theory
• Digital Arts
• +7 more

Dr. Damien Charrieras is an Associate Professor at the School of Creative Media , City University of Hong Kong, where he serves as Program Leader for the Master of Art in Creative Media and deputy program leader for the PhD in Creative Media. His work bridges cultural studies, new media theory, and the intersection of financial technologies with artistic practices through the ACIM Laboratory for Interventions in Speculative Finance . Doctoral research on digital artists' trajectories in Montreal FRQSC Postdoctoral Fellowship at McGill University Research spans game engine design , datafication of creativity , blockchain in art , and post-anthropocentric creative processes . With over HK$3.14M in grants as Principal Investigator, he explores situated digital creativity in urban contexts, critical worldbuilding pedagogy , and the mediation of technical systems in cultural production. His publications in Cities , Organized Sound , and Human Relations analyze the reconfiguration of artistic practices through software infrastructures and automation paradigms. Scientific awards include: FRQSC Postdoctoral Fellowship

Eetu MäkeläView profile

Professor

• Digital Humanities
• Human Sciences–Computing Interaction
• Computational Humanities
• +3 more

Eetu Mäkelä is a Professor of Digital Humanities at the University of Helsinki, leading the research group at the Helsinki Centre for Digital Humanities. He focuses on computational methods in humanities and social sciences, including datafication and interdisciplinary collaboration. He serves as Technical Director of DARIAH-FI and a Research Programme Director at the Helsinki Institute for Social Sciences and Humanities. Currently, he heads the preparatory group for the Helsinki Liberal Arts and Sciences Bachelor’s Programme. His research emphasizes technological and theoretical foundations of computational research, with notable contributions to linked open data, sociolinguistic analysis, and historical text mining. He has developed widely used tools like Recon, Palladio, and Octavo, which are employed in academic and public sectors. His work has garnered over 20 awards, including best paper and open science recognitions. Key areas of expertise include digital humanities methodologies, data integration, and open science practices. He actively contributes to teaching, designing courses such as 'Methods for Digital Humanities' and demonstrating innovative pedagogical approaches. His recent projects involve analyzing 18th-century philosophical texts and sociolinguistic change using computational methods. Awards: Multiple best paper awards, open data awards, and open science awards. Grants/Advising: Leads research initiatives funded by the Academy of Finland and other bodies. Mentors interdisciplinary research teams but no specific student names listed. He maintains active roles in academic infrastructure, including the DARIAH-FI initiative and the Helsinki Institute’s datafication program. His work bridges technical innovation with humanities scholarship, emphasizing practical, enduring systems for academic and public use.

Konrad KollnigView profile

Assistant Professor

• Digital Privacy
• AI Ethics
• Regulatory Technology (RegTech)
• +4 more

Konrad Kollnig is an Assistant Professor at Maastricht University’s Faculty of Law, specializing in the intersection of law and technology. He leads the RegTech4AI project, which combines legal and technical methods to address challenges in the AI and digital platforms sector. His academic background includes a PhD and MSc from the University of Oxford and a BSc from RWTH Aachen, with his PhD thesis winning the prestigious Stefano Rodotà Award 2024. Research focuses on market power analysis in digital platforms, ethical AI governance, and privacy-preserving technologies. He developed the TrackerControl app (200,000+ downloads) to expose app tracking practices. His work has influenced EU, OECD, US FTC, and other regulatory bodies, and been featured in Forbes, Wired, and New Scientist. Key achievements include winning the United Nations Privacy Competition 2022 and the Best Student Privacy Paper Award 2022. He holds a five-year RegTech4AI project grant (€2.1M) funding six researchers. Talks and collaborations span institutions like Georgetown University, CNIL, and the Council of Europe. His interdisciplinary approach bridges computer science, law, and policy to address systemic risks in digital ecosystems.

Yujie ChenView profile

Associate Professor

• Digital Media
• Digital Labour Studies
• Platform Studies
• +3 more

Dr. Yujie (Julie) Chen is an Associate Professor (on leave) at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Information, affiliated with the Department of Communication, Culture, Information & Technology (CCIT). Her work focuses on digital media's political economy, platform capitalism, and digital labour studies. She authored Super-Sticky WeChat and Chinese Society , analyzing WeChat's societal integration and platform power dynamics in China. Her research critiques how labour is marginalized in datafication discourse, particularly in platform-mediated sectors like ride-hailing (DiDi) and food delivery. Key themes include algorithmic control, worker resistance, and the interplay between technology, state policies, and labour conditions in China. Dr. Chen’s work bridges sociotechnical systems analysis with critical political economy frameworks. Her recent studies explore temporal exploitation in platform labour (e.g., food delivery workers’ time management), gamification of work processes, and the 'digital utility' concept deployed by platforms to justify market dominance. She frequently presents at conferences like AoIR and ICA, emphasizing global platform capitalism’s socio-economic impacts. Dr. Chen is completing a book manuscript examining labour’s erasure in datafication narratives and advocating for analytical frameworks that foreground embodied labour experiences. Her research also intersects with global South labour comparisons, notably between China and the Philippines in platform economies.

Chinasa T. OkoloView profile

Research Fellow

• Artificial Intelligence
• AI Governance
• Data Governance
• +12 more

Chinasa T. Okolo is a Research Fellow in the Governance Studies program and Center for Technology Innovation (CTI) at the Brookings Institution. A recent computer science PhD graduate from Cornell University, she focuses on AI governance, data policy, and equity issues in artificial intelligence, particularly as they relate to the Global Majority and Africa. B.A. in Computer Science from Pomona College M.S. in Computer Science from Cornell University Ph.D. in Computer Science from Cornell University Dr. Okolo's research critically examines global equity in AI, with a focus on how African governments can develop robust AI and data governance frameworks. She investigates the geopolitical impacts of AI in the Majority World and analyzes datafication and algorithmic marginalization in Africa. Her work incorporates ethnographic methods to understand how frontline health care workers in rural settings perceive and value AI, with particular emphasis on explainability in AI-enabled technologies deployed throughout the Majority World. She has conducted significant research on the effective adoption of AI in Africa, COVID-19 misinformation spread on social networks within African communities, and the impact of generative AI within Africa. Her recent publications explore cultural encoding of gender bias in language models for African languages, AI safety governance approaches in Southeast Asia, and the impacts of generative AI within Africa. Her work spans the intersection of artificial intelligence, international development, and social justice, with publications at top-tier venues including ACM's CHI, CSCW, COMPASS, EAAMO, and FAccT conferences. Scientific Awards Named one of TIME's top 100 most influential people in AI of 2024 Honored in the inaugural Forbes '30 Under 30' AI list Recognized as one of 100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics™ Dr. Okolo has received research funding from the Social Science Research Council, MacArthur Foundation, McGovern Foundation, Kapor Center, National GEM Consortium, Oracle Corporation, North American Network Operators' Group (NANOG), National Science Foundation (NSF), and Google. She serves as editor-in-chief of ACM SIGCAS Computers and Society, is a Scientific Advisory Committee member of the Global Index on Responsible AI, and an inaugural member of the Partnership on AI's SAIGE Council. She has contributed to global AI governance efforts including serving as a consulting expert on the African Union AU-AI Continental Strategy, an expert contributing writer to the International AI Safety Report, and a drafting member of the Nigerian Federal Government's National AI Strategy. She also participates in the IEEE Standards Association working group on algorithmic bias and is a member of the ACM US Technology Policy Committee. As founder of Technēculturǎ, Dr. Okolo leads initiatives focused on critically examining global equity in AI. She recently launched the 'AI Safety and the Global Majority' series at Brookings, convening experts from Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, Oceania, and Southeast Asia to counter Western-centric assumptions in AI safety. She is actively engaged in current policy discussions, with her most recent work including 'AI Safety Governance, The Southeast Asian Way' report and upcoming participation in the AI Safety Asia launch event on August 28, 2025.

Roy PeaView profile

Professor

• Brain and Learning Sciences
• Child Development
• Collaborative Learning
• +9 more

Professor Roy Pea is the David Jacks Professor of Education & Learning Sciences at Stanford University, with a courtesy appointment in Computer Science. He served as Director of the H-STAR Institute (2007-2021) and founded Stanford’s PhD program in Learning Sciences and Technology Design. His research focuses on technology-enhanced learning, social foundations of human learning, and interdisciplinary applications of digital tools. Stanford University, School of Education Graduate School of Education Department Courtesy appointment in Computer Science His work spans complex domains like concussion education, climate change learning, and AI-driven mental health interventions. He co-authored the 2010 National Education Technology Plan and co-edited key texts including Video Research in the Learning Sciences and AI in Education . His NSF-funded LIFE Center (2004-2014) advanced learning science theories. Recent publications address: (1) linguistic framing of concussions and reporting behavior, (2) AI chatbots for mental health, (3) "engineering fiction" to reduce climate change abstractness, and (4) immersive AR/LLM learning experiences. His research integrates data science, psychology, and educational technology. Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2019) Inaugural Fellow, International Society of the Learning Sciences (2018) Honorary Doctorate, The Open University (2018) Best Bridging Paper, EDM 2014 LAK13 Best Paper Award (2013) Roy mentors doctoral and master’s students in learning sciences, advising on topics related to technology, cognition, and equity. He contributes to digital education policy through roles on advisory boards for organizations like NSF, NIH, and the Joan Ganz Cooney Center. His patents include methods for digital video analysis and collaborative learning systems.

• Circular Economy
• Sustainability Assessments
• Material Flow Analysis
• +5 more

Karel Van Acker is a full professor in the Faculty of Engineering Science at KU Leuven , leading the Sustainable Materials Processing and Recycling (SeMPeR) research group. His work focuses on integrating environmental and economic sustainability assessments, particularly for metallurgical residues and circular economy systems. Head of SeMPeR group Contact person for SeMPeR at Arenberg campus Head of Subdivision 39, Brussels Campus Research areas include: Circular Economy: Monitoring systems, stock-flow models, and business models Sustainability Assessments: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), techno-economic analysis, carbon footprinting Resource Valorization: Steel slag mineral carbonation, rare earth reduction, biorefinery processes Key article trends: 2025 works emphasize steel slag carbonation for carbon capture, hydrogen storage technologies, and clothing sufficiency as circular economy strategies 2024 research explores car mobility circularity , AI environmental impacts , and policy integration for circular economy monitors Earlier works (2023-2020) address textile recycling , biomass to biofuels , and landfill mining using system dynamics Teaching responsibilities: Sustainable Materials Management (H00R6A) Environmental Impact Analysis (I0V86A) Material Selection & Sustainability (D0X32A) Global Challenges for Sustainable Society (H0O00A)

Andreas HeppView profile

Professor

• Mediatization
• Datafication
• Automation of Communication
• +4 more

Andreas Hepp is a Professor of Media and Communications and Head of ZeMKI at the University of Bremen , Germany. His work focuses on mediatization, datafication, and communicative AI, with affiliations to the ComAI Research Unit and Commfigurations. Previously held positions include roles at the University of Trier, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), and others. He has been a Visiting Researcher at institutions like LSE, Stanford, and Goldsmiths. Research interests span media sociology, automation of communication, and digital futures. Current projects include the ComAI coordination project funded by DFG, exploring societal implications of AI in communication. He leads the Datafication and Mediatization Lab and co-develops the molo.news platform for local journalism. Notable publications include The Mediated Construction of Reality (2017) and Deep Mediatization (2020). Active in academic networks like DFG-funded ComAI, German Communication Association (DGPuK), and European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA). Upcoming engagements include keynote speeches at AI meets HSS (Vienna) and ZeMKI's 20th-anniversary conference. Grants include DFG funding for ComAI research. Teaching and advising focus on media-society relationships and digital transformations. Collaborates on OpenQDA software for qualitative data analysis and advocates for alternative social media platforms.

• Sociology of public action
• Sociology of science and technology
• Sociology of labour
• +2 more

Renaud Crespin serves as a CNRS Junior Professor at Sciences Po's Centre for the Sociology of Organisations (CSO), where his research integrates the sociology of public action, science and technology studies, and labor sociology to examine how health and environmental policies are rationalized through technical instruments and scientific expertise. His work critically analyzes the transnational circulation of policy instruments like screening tests across domains including blood donation, HIV/AIDS response, road safety, and drug policy. His academic credentials include: PhD in Political Science from Pantheon-Sorbonne University (2003), with dissertation on "Appropriation and public regulation of a biological tool: The social career of HIV tests, a comparative study (France, USA, Canada, Netherlands)" DEA (M.Phil) in Organisations and Public Policy from Pantheon-Sorbonne University (1995) Master's degree in Political Science from Pantheon-Sorbonne University (1994) Crespin's research reveals how seemingly neutral technical tools become embedded in complex power relations that shape professional practices and policy outcomes. His comparative studies demonstrate how instruments like workplace drug testing technologies travel across national contexts while being adapted to local organizational practices. Recent work examines pandemic response models, environmental risk assessment, and the ecosystemic approach to workplace addiction prevention, highlighting tensions between scientific evidence and political decision-making. As co-leader of the CSO's Knowledge, Science and Expertise research program since 2017, Crespin has fostered interdisciplinary dialogue on expertise in governance. His leadership extends to the CNRS' Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences scientific board (since 2014) and the CNRS' interdisciplinary commission on Methods, practices, and communications of science and techniques (since 2017). He has significantly contributed to public policy through appointments to the Observatory on Health Care Professionals' Quality of Life at Work (2018-2020) and the ANSES Environment-Health-Work national research programme's scientific committee (2014-2018).

Paul TrauttmansdorffView profile

Research Fellow

• Digital Governance
• Migration Studies
• Biometric Technologies
• +6 more

Dr. Paul Trauttmansdorff is a Research Fellow at the Chair of Philosophy and History of Science and Technology at the Technical University of Munich, and a Fellow of the Ethical Data Initiative. His research focuses on digital governance, migration, and the ethical implications of data infrastructure. He holds a PhD from the University of Vienna, where his thesis explored future visions of borders and digital migration governance in Europe. He previously worked at the University of Bologna and the European New School of Digital Studies. Education: BA Philosophy, University of Vienna BSc Socioeconomics, Vienna University of Economics and Business MSc Political Sociology, London School of Economics PhD Science and Technology Studies, University of Vienna (supervised by Ulrike Felt) Research interests include datafication practices, governance of digital infrastructures, biometric technologies, and their social/political impacts. He has contributed to projects such as the ERC StG 'Processing Citizenship' and the ENS Chair of Sociology of Technology. Key awards include the 2023 Early Career Award and 2022 sowi:doc Award. He is a member of networks like STS-MIGTEC and COST Action CA22135. His recent work emphasizes ethical data practices, resilient data systems, and controversies in digital border governance. Publications span books, journal articles, and policy manifestos analyzing EU border digitalization, data interoperability challenges, and migration governance frameworks.

• Sociology
• Media Studies
• Social Transformation
• +7 more

Veronika Kalmus is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Tartu's Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Social Studies since 2015. She has held various academic positions at the University of Tartu since 1991, including Professor of Media Studies (2009-2013) and Associate Professor in Media Studies (2005-2009). She is an internationally recognized scholar with memberships in Academia Europaea and AcademiaNet, and has received numerous awards including the National Research Award in Social Sciences (2022). Her educational background includes a Doctor's Degree in Sociology from the University of Tartu (2003), a Research Master's Degree in Media Studies from the University of Oslo (1998), and additional graduate studies in Sociology at the University of Tartu. She completed her undergraduate studies in Sociology at the University of Tartu (cum laude, 1995). Kalmus's research focuses on social transformation, mediatization, datafication, and platformization in contemporary society, with particular attention to social acceleration, generational dynamics, and children's and young people's digital media use. Her work examines how digital technologies reshape socialization processes, value orientations, and intergenerational relationships. She investigates the formation of media generations, digital skills development, and the social mediation of children's media use in an increasingly datafied world. Her recent publications analyze surveillance experiences across generations, digital skills among European youth, and the impact of digital tools on mental well-being. Her work demonstrates a consistent focus on the intersection of digital technologies, social change, and generational dynamics, with methodological innovations in cross-cultural and intergenerational research. National Research Award in Social Sciences (2022) Membership of Academia Europaea (2019) Membership of AcademiaNet: Leading European Women Scientists (2020) The Badge of Distinction, University of Tartu (2017) Vitols Prize of the American Association of Baltic Studies (2010) Young Scientist Award of the Cultural Foundation of the President of the Republic of Estonia (2008) Professor Kalmus has supervised multiple doctoral students including Signe Opermann, Marit Napp, and Andra Siibak, with several receiving national recognition. She has led significant research projects including the Estonian Science Foundation grant project 'Children and Young People in the Emerging Information and Consumer Society' (2007-2010) and 'Generations and Inter-generational Relationships in the Emerging Information Society' (2011-2015). Her administrative roles include membership in the University of Tartu Senate (2017-present), Director of the PhD study programme in Sociology (2015-present), and founder of the European Media Salon (2021-2024). She leads the international research network EU Kids Online as Estonian project team leader (2007-present) and is actively involved in developing research methodologies for studying digital family life through the PlatFams project. Her work bridges academic research with practical applications for understanding digital transformations in everyday life across generations.

Anton BergView profile

Research Fellow

• Cognitive Science
• Computer Vision
• Religious Studies
• +7 more

Anton Berg is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Helsinki, affiliated with the Department of Digital Humanities within the Faculty of Arts and the Helsinki Institute for Social Sciences and Humanities (HSSH). He is also a member of the methodological unit at HSSH, focusing on interdisciplinary research at the intersection of cognitive science, religious studies, and artificial intelligence. His educational background spans computer science, cognitive science, and religious studies, enabling him to bridge technical and humanistic approaches to AI. His research primarily investigates how commercial image recognition systems interpret and categorize religious content, exploring issues of bias, representation, and the datafication of religion. Berg's research interests include computer vision systems, automatic image recognition, machine and deep learning, large language models, and the relationship between religions, worldviews, and values related to AI technologies. He particularly focuses on inequality issues, the datafication of religion, the datafication of societies, the social scientific study of religion, and the cognitive science of religion. His work combines technical analysis of AI systems with social scientific perspectives on religion and technology. His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on examining biases in commercial image recognition services, particularly regarding religious content, with significant contributions to understanding representational silence and racial biases in these systems. He has also conducted important work on pandemic psychology, contributing to large-scale international studies on COVID-19 responses across 69 countries. Berg has been actively involved in numerous academic activities, including presentations at international conferences on topics such as computer vision in religious studies, mediatized religious populism, and biases in image recognition services. His research has been presented at venues including the International Association for the Cognitive Science of Religion. His teaching areas include religious studies, cognitive science, data science, and religion and technologies, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach to understanding the relationship between digital technologies and religious phenomena.

Elvin WylyView profile

Professor

• Urban Geography
• Housing Policy and Finance
• Gentrification and Displacement
• +7 more

Elvin Wyly is a Professor in the Department of Geography within the Faculty of Arts at the University of British Columbia. His research focuses on the relations between market processes and state policy in producing and reinforcing urban social inequalities, blending critical social theory, legal and policy analysis, and multivariate quantitative methods. Wyly earned his PhD (1995) and MA from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, and his BSc from The Pennsylvania State University. His academic journey reflects a deep engagement with geographical thought and methodology. His research interests span urban geography, housing policy and finance, gentrification and displacement, urban inequality, spatial analysis, critical social theory, digital geographies, GIS, and race, class, and gender studies. Wyly's approach combines critical theory with empirical analysis to examine how market forces and public policy interact to create spatial inequalities in urban environments. Analysis of Wyly's recent publications (2019-2024) reveals consistent engagement with themes of urban transformation, housing finance, and spatial inequality. His work increasingly addresses the digital turn in urban studies, examining smart cities, datafication of urban space, and the evolving nature of gentrification in the 21st century. There's a clear trajectory from studying traditional urban processes toward examining how digital technologies reshape urban inequalities and governance. Wyly's research demonstrates significant contributions to understanding the financialization of urban space, particularly through his work on subprime mortgage markets, housing discrimination, and the racial dimensions of urban development. His publications in leading geography and urban studies journals establish him as a significant voice in critical urban scholarship. His teaching appears to focus on urban geography, with courses covering topics related to cities, economies, transnational flows, digital geographies, and issues of gender, race, and class. His research website serves as a resource for students and colleagues interested in advanced urban geographical analysis.

Ana ValdiviaView profile

Lecturer

• Artificial Intelligence Ethics
• Algorithmic Fairness
• Environmental Impact of AI
• +5 more

Ana Valdivia is a Departmental Research Lecturer at the Oxford Internet Institute (OII), specializing in AI, Government, and Policy. Her research bridges critical data studies with computer science, focusing on AI's environmental footprint, algorithmic fairness, and sociotechnical impacts. She holds a mathematics background and collaborates with civil society organizations. Currently, she is a Visiting Research Fellow at UCL and writing a book on AI supply chains for Bristol University Press. Her interdisciplinary work combines quantitative (machine learning) and qualitative (ethnographic) methods. Key projects include investigating AI's environmental costs, surveillance technologies, and algorithmic accountability in risk assessment tools. She is Associate Editor for Big Data & Society and has received grants from the British Academy and The Alan Turing Institute. Valdivia advises DPhil students on AI governance, fairness, and digital policy. Her research has influenced international media and policy debates, with coverage in The Guardian , The New York Times , and El País . She leads OII's Research Programme on AI, Government, and Policy, emphasizing transdisciplinary approaches to AI's societal challenges.