Alicia von Schenk

Alicia von Schenk is a Junior Professor of Applied Microeconomics, specializing in Human-Machine Interaction, at the University of Würzburg's Faculty of Management and Economics. She also serves as an Associate Research Scientist at the Center for Humans and Machines at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin. Her academic journey includes a Ph.D. in Economics (summa cum laude) from Goethe University Frankfurt in 2021, followed by postdoctoral research at the Max Planck Institute before joining Würzburg in 2022.

Her research focuses on the intersection of economics, artificial intelligence, and human behavior. Dr. von Schenk investigates how intelligent algorithms impact organizations and human decision-making through theoretical, empirical, and experimental methods. Her work spans organizational economics, behavioral economics, and the ethical implications of AI at individual and institutional levels. Key research questions include whether people would accept algorithm-led institutions for more efficient cooperation, how user involvement in AI design affects acceptance, and how people analytics influences employee satisfaction.

Dr. von Schenk's publications reveal a strong trend toward experimental and behavioral approaches to understanding human-AI interaction. Her work increasingly examines social preferences toward machines, ethical considerations in algorithmic decision-making, and the organizational implications of AI adoption. She has developed innovative experimental methodologies to study complex human-machine dynamics in controlled settings.

• Baldwin und Inge Knauf-Förderpreis für exzellente wissenschaftliche Leistungen (2025)
• WirtschaftsWoche Germany's 30 until 2030 list recognition (2024)
• Capital magazine Germany Top 40 under 40 list recognition (2023)
• Ph.D. Paper Award at IAREP/SABE conference (2019)

Dr. von Schenk has secured significant research funding, including a €252,350 DFG Individual Research Grant in 2024 for her project on strategic interactions in organizational decision-making. She has advised numerous students at undergraduate and graduate levels and has developed innovative courses on AI ethics, behavioral economics, and organizational economics. Her lab, part of the Center for Humans and Machines at the Max Planck Institute, focuses on experimental investigations of human-algorithm interaction using advanced behavioral methodologies.