Michiel Vaes

Michiel is a researcher at imec-SMIT-VUB as a member of the Knowledge Center Data & Society (KCDS). He is engaged in different projects related to smart cities, data privacy, artificial intelligence and public outreach. 

He conducts research and translates insights and findings from these to partners and society as a whole. He holds a Master in Sociology from the University of Brussels (VUB), graduating with his thesis “Young people’s perception of temporary agency work in the context of the European flexicurity policy”, while working as a Recruitment Consultant at Randstad. There he did recruitment of candidates for various sectors including ICT and performed functional analyses of the internal matching and contacting processes as basis for recommendations to enhance their efficiency and effectiveness. 

In order to get a deeper understanding of the inner workings of digitalization processes, computers and algorithms, he completed one year of Bachelor in Applied Informatics and supplemented this with various online (self-study) courses in programming, machine learning and AI. On a daily basis he follows technology news from various sources on a wide range of subjects.

Michiel's passion is exploring and disseminating the potentials of digitalization to the benefit of society at large, partners and organisations, communities and people.