Laura Pranteddu

Laura Pranteddu is an Assistant Professor and doctoral student at the Institute of Media and Journalism, Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society, Università della Svizzera italiana (USI). She serves as a PhD Assistant and represents doctoral students in the Department of Communication for the 2021–2022 academic year. Her work integrates data science and media studies, focusing on the ethical implications of AI in journalism.

Education:

• Bachelor of Sociology, University of Trento
• Master of Data Science, University of Trento
• Visiting Student, University College Dublin and Virginia Tech
• Exchange, West Virginia University
• Young Scholar, Data Science for the Public Good, University of Virginia

Research Interests:
Laura's research explores how AI tools in newsrooms can be designed to respect journalistic ethics and values. Her work lies at the intersection of artificial intelligence, digital journalism, and media governance. She investigates hybrid journalism models and how data-driven technologies impact public service media. Her interdisciplinary approach draws from data science, computational methods, and social sciences to address ethical and structural challenges in modern media ecosystems.

Research Projects:
She is a research assistant on two major projects:

• Designing Hybrid Journalism – Funded by the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University, analyzing AI tools in newsrooms.
• AI Governance in Public Service Media – Funded by the Swiss Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM).

Teaching:
Laura serves as a teaching assistant for:

• Journalism (BA in Communication)
• Swiss Media System (Master in Media Management)

Advising and Grants:
While no formal advisees are listed, she is actively involved in research mentorship under Professor Colin Porlezza. She contributes to externally funded research initiatives from Columbia University and the Swiss government, demonstrating strong grant engagement in digital media and AI ethics.

Labs and Research Teams:
Laura is embedded in the Institute of Media and Journalism at USI, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams working on digital transformation in journalism. Her work connects with international research networks, including Columbia University and European data science institutions.