Pieter Van der Elst

Before starting at imec-SMIT, VUB, Pieter Van der Elst obtained a master's degree in Communication Science and worked as a consultant for one of the largest social bureaus for artists (SBKs) in the Flemish creative sector, where he provided services exclusively to Flemish PSM VRT. His academic interests lie mainly in media economics and datafication of media.

Pieter started as a PhD researcher at imec-SMIT-VUB in 2023. Within a broader research program on algorithmized media and how they redefine value in small media markets, his work focuses on how recommender systems influence the core remit and practices of public service media (PSM), and how this manifests itself in content production, distribution, and consumption.