Silvia Ecclesia
PhD fellow at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Ecclesia is a PhD candidate at the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture (KULT) at NTNU. She has a background in social sciences and international affairs with a Master’s thesis on the post-phenomenology of online gender-based violence. Originally from Italy, she did her Master at the Geneva Graduate Institute and moved to Norway in 2023. She is very interested in the intersection between technology and humanities and uncovering the ways in which technological development can be more human-centric. Her doctoral research will explore how collectively held sociotechnical imaginaries of AI and robots influence their use and inclusivity.
Tell us about your project!
The PhD-project examines how sociotechnical imaginaries of Artificial Intelligence and robot technologies influence the technologies’ inclusivity. Sociotechnical imaginaries have been recognized as a key aspect of the relationship between technology and society and powerful influences on policy making and social responses to innovation. However, the gendered dimensions of such imaginaries have received little attention. Gender and intersectionality could be explored more thoroughly to deepen our understanding and potentially lead to the creation of more inclusive AI and robot technologies. This research analyzes sociotechnical imaginaries of AI and robot technologies with a specific focus on Europe and the potential effects of the recent AI Act.
“Gender and intersectionality could be explored more thoroughly to deepen our understanding and potentially lead to the creation of more inclusive AI and robot technologies.”
— Silvia Ecclesia on her research project “Sociotechnical imaginaries of AI / robot technologies”