Thorsten Jelinek

Thorsten Jelinek is a Visiting Professor at the Aerospace Research Information Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, focusing on digital governance, AI, cybersecurity, and remote sensing for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He holds affiliations at the University of Cambridge (Department of Sociology), OECD, ITU, and the Taihe Institute. His current roles involve multilateral digital policy contributions to UN forums and the Internet Governance Group. Previously, he served as an associate director at the World Economic Forum and in ICT industry leadership roles.

Education:

• PhD in Sociology, University of Cambridge
• MSc in Organisational and Social Psychology, LSE
• Bachelor's in Business Administration and Software Engineering, Berliner Hochschule für Technik

Research Interests: Digital governance frameworks, AI policy coordination, data sovereignty, and equitable technology adoption in SMEs. His work bridges cybersecurity, climate action, and global infrastructure innovation. Recent focus areas include federated data platforms, data cooperatives for SME empowerment, and avoiding digital silos.

Article Trends: Over 15 years, his research spans AI governance gaps, climate tech collaboration, and digital sovereignty challenges. Post-2020 work emphasizes data cooperatives, construction sector digitalization, and SDG monitoring through digital public goods.

Awards: None explicitly listed.

Grants/Advising: Contributions to Think20 policy briefs and UN digital cooperation panels. Advises on multistakeholder forums and industry-government partnerships.

Labs/Teams: Involved in the Hertie School's Centre for Digital Governance and Jacques Delors Centre initiatives. Collaborates with global institutions on digital policy networks.