Johan Hoorn

Dr. Johan Hoorn is an Associate Professor at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam's Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Department of Communication Science. He also holds roles at the Network Institute and Communication Choices, Content and Consequences (CCCC) research groups. His work focuses on social robotics, artificial intelligence, and emotional systems, particularly their societal and ethical implications. He co-created the influential documentary Alice Cares, which won the Eureka Prize and Prix Grand Écran, exploring care robots' impact on elderly users.

Research themes include creativity in communicative technologies, human-robot interaction, and ethical AI. Key achievements include Burgen Scholarship (Academia Europaea) for academic excellence and a Lorentz Fellowship (KNAW) for developing a theory of creativity. He teaches courses like Social Robotics and collaborates internationally, including as a professor at Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

His articles explore quantum computing in decision-making, AI in mental health, and robotics in gaming. Media engagements highlight his advocacy for care robots' societal role. Awards reflect his contributions to public science communication and interdisciplinary research.