Stefano De Paoli

Stefano De Paoli is a Professor of Digital Society at Abertay University's Department of Sociological and Psychological Sciences. His research focuses on AI applications in social sciences, digital infrastructures, and co-design methodologies. He teaches courses on Cybercrime, Policing Technology, and AI's societal impacts.

Key research areas include Large Language Models (LLMs) for thematic analysis, participatory design, and cybersecurity practices. He led EU-funded projects such as PIE News (€190,200) exploring collective awareness in commonfare and STEP (€201,875) addressing youth engagement in environmental issues. His work aligns with UN SDGs related to innovation and sustainable development.

Recent studies investigate LLMs' role in qualitative research validity, penetration testers' insights into organizational security, and codesign for digital scholarship. He supervises projects in cybercrime, AI ethics, and sociology of design.

Publications span cybersecurity ethnography, AI-driven thematic analysis, and digital humanities. His datasets include studies on cosplay communities, Dundee social innovation, and TRIPLE research interviews.