This semester brings further growth for our centre for Sociology of Humans and Machines (SOHAM), with new colleagues joining in management, postdoctoral research, and PhD study. Their expertise and varied backgrounds will build on the momentum of a Centre established in April to advance research on technology and society.
Meet the New Team Members
Anna Bertani
Anna joins SOHAM as a Research Fellow on the ANNETTE project. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a Master’s in Data Science from the University of Trento. In her PhD research at the Bruno Kessler Foundation, she has focused on the mechanisms driving misinformation and methods to track the spread of infodemics in online social systems. She is also interested in online radicalisation, collective attention on social media, and decision-making processes — interests that align closely with SOHAM’s focus on collective intelligence and human–machine interaction.
Khalida Bousrhal
Khalida is beginning her PhD at TU SOHAM, building on her background in software engineering and a Master’s in Collective Intelligence from Mohammed VI Polytechnic University. Her research will focus on decision-making through Collective Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence, aligning closely with SOHAM’s mission to explore new frontiers in human–machine collaboration.
Azeez Hamzat
Azeez joins SOHAM as a PhD student, bringing an interdisciplinary background that includes a Master’s in Collective Intelligence at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Morocco and prior research on agricultural sustainability in Nigeria. His research investigates AI-facilitated collective intelligence and how technology can improve group decision-making, with applications for democracy, governance, and addressing complex societal challenges.
Marina Schenkel
Marina is joining SOHAM as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow. She is concluding a PhD in Political Science at Trinity College Dublin, focusing on populism, anti-intellectualism, and pandemic responses in Brazil and the United States. With experience as a policy analyst in the Brazilian government, her research at SOHAM will explore how governments and regulatory frameworks adapt to rapid advances in AI and the implications of human–machine relationships for public policy.
Helen Stanton
Helen joins SOHAM as Lab Officer and Community Engagement Officer. She has extensive experience in managing public engagement and research facilities, most recently on EU-funded projects in sustainable agriculture. Her career has spanned tech policy in Brussels and Ireland, consultancy in leadership coaching, and collaborations with both public and private sector organisations. With a background in engineering and European public affairs, Helen is looking forward to fostering partnerships and ensuring diverse voices are heard in debates on AI and autonomous systems.
Commenting on the appointments, Professor Taha Yasseri, Director of SOHAM, said:
“I am delighted to welcome our new staff to SOHAM. We have been privileged to attract outstanding talent from across disciplines to join our already diverse team. While excellence was our foremost criterion, our new colleagues also bring with them a wide range of expertise, backgrounds, and lived experiences. This will deepen our collaborations and broaden the intellectual connections of our Centre with communities across the globe. Together, they will strengthen our research team, enabling us to tackle pressing issues in the intersection of technology and society from multiple angles.
The team will also greatly benefit from Helen’s strengths in management and coordination as the Centre continues to grow. Moreover, her expertise in community and stakeholder engagement will amplify the broader impact of our work.“