Reception from 4pm - 6pm in the foyer outside the auditorium.

Register for the reception here:

Abstract:

In her inaugural lecture Anja Bechmann will provide an overview of how she has been investigating collective behavior in social media during the last 7 years. An important element in studying such behavior is applied artificial intelligence (AI or machine learning) models both as an element in the algorithms controlling the object of study, and as important models in the analytical process of detecting such collective patterns in the data. Bechmann’s recent work thus discusses the need to control the work with AI more, outlining models for documentation needed in order to install effective governing procedures for explainable AI. Finally, the lecture will provide insights into Bechmann’s ongoing work with disinformation monitoring and cascade prevention experiments.    

Background information: 

Anja Bechmann is Professor at Media Studies and Director of DATALAB - Center for Digital Social Research. The center has 35 affiliated researchers and focus on analyzing, predicting and discussing how individuals and groups act in digital communication settings. In 2017 she was visiting professor at University of California Irvine and is a guest professor at University of Antwerp in 2019. She received a Jens Christian Skou fellowship for 2018 and she is currently Thinker in Residence 2019 at the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts. Her research examines social media communication and collective behavior using large-scale data collection and applied machine learning. Bechmann's fields of research are digital sociology, privacy, critical algorithmic and AI studies and digital news studies. She is board member of the Danish Council for IT Security and appointed member the Academy of Technical Sciences and Digital Sages in Denmark. Her research has been funded by national and international research councils such as the Danish Council for Independent Research, Swedish Research Council, Danish Agency for Science and Innovation, Horizon 2020, and Aarhus University Research Foundation. Anja Bechmann is 42 years old, has two kids and lives with her partner in Hoejbjerg, Aarhus.

Info:

Anja Bechmann was appointed full professor at Media Studies at Aarhus University on March 1st, 2019. She will deliver her inaugural lecture titled Social Media and Collective Behavior on April 26th from 3pm - 4pm in the Peter Bøgh Andersen Auditorium - Finlandsgade 21, 8200 Aarhus N. Aarhus University will host a reception afterwards from 4pm - 6pm in the foyer outside the auditorium. Please sign up if you wish to attend the reception.