The Erasmus School of History, Culture & Communication (ESHCC) has appointed two new professors in the departments Arts & Culture Studies and Media & Communication. These appointments are part of the National Sector Plan for Social and Humanities Sciences (SSH) and strengthen research into complex societal challenges.
Appointments within sector plan themes
Dean Martine van Selm expresses her enthusiasm about the appointments: "With much pleasure I announce the appointments of Amanda Brandellero and Jason Pridmore as full professors in the departments of Arts & Culture Studies and Media & Communication respectively. They are both highly productive and internationally leading scholars in their fields, who have served as associate professors in our School for many years and have contributed greatly to ESHCC research, education, impact and management."
Culture and Sustainability
Dr. Amanda Brandellero has been appointed as a professor of Culture and Sustainability, with a focus on place, heritage and creativity. Her research centres on advancing knowledge of sustainability transitions in the cultural and creative sectors, while also unpacking the role of the arts, heritage and culture in addressing wider societal challenges. She has expertise in circular practices and innovations in the arts and culture sectors, and their relation to spatial transformations.
"I am very proud and honoured with this appointment, and the recognition it signals for education, impact and research activities at the intersection of culture and sustainability," says Brandellero. "I am also very excited to join the growing and vibrant community of female Professors at EUR and in the Netherlands and to play an active role in a more inclusive academic culture."
Through her chair, Brandellero aims "to support a better understanding of how the imperative of sustainability transitions both connects to and impacts culture and creativity, specifically building on and extending research on the values, practices and roles of creativity, heritage and diversity in just sustainability transitions in urban and rural settings."
Human-Centric Artificial Intelligence and Society
Dr. Jason Pridmore has been appointed as a professor of Human-Centric AI and Society, with attention to the human-centred development and implementation of AI technologies. His chair focuses on the interaction between artificial intelligence and societal structures, emphasizing the ethical, social, and policy implications of AI applications. He investigates how AI technologies are designed, implemented, and experienced in various social contexts, such as the public sector, healthcare, and digital communication platforms.
"This position underscores the significance of the research I have conducted with my teams on digitalisation and artificial intelligence over the past several years," Pridmore states. "While a professorship is often regarded as an individual achievement, which is indeed appropriate, our scholarly work as academics is fundamentally rooted in our interactions with and responses to our peers. For me, professionally, I see this position as affirming the potentials and promise of collaboration and interdisciplinary work I have demonstrated and will continue to pursue."
Background and expertise
Amanda Brandellero has specialized in research on sustainable transition processes within cultural and creative sectors. She currently heads the Arts and Culture Studies Department at ESHCC. Her scientific career is characterized by publications in leading international journals and obtaining prestigious research grants, such as an NWO VIDI on circular creative practices in European urban contexts, and a collaborative Horizon Europe: New European Bauhaus Lighthouse Demonstrator Cultuur&Campus Putselaan. She has developed into an authoritative voice in research on sustainability and creativity. Her work has a strong interdisciplinary approach, combining insights from social sciences with heritage studies and sustainability research. She advocates for transdisciplinary collaborations, across institutional boundaries and disciplinary fields, and for internationally comparative work.
Jason Pridmore is a prominent researcher in the field of digitalisation and artificial intelligence. He coordinates various research and educational projects at Erasmus University Rotterdam, including large-scale European research programs focused on AI developments. Prior to his current appointment, he served as Vice-Dean of Education at ESHCC and has an extensive track record in leading research teams and guiding academic projects. His research places humans at the centre of AI developments and emphasizes the need for transparency, inclusivity, and responsible AI innovation. He collaborates with policymakers, businesses, and social organisations to formulate guidelines that contribute to fair and just AI systems.
Current challenges and future work
When asked about the most pressing topics in her field, Brandellero highlights the need to understand how sustainability transitions impact culture and creativity: "Research, impact and education activities within the Chair will consider how and in what ways, in the context of urgent ecological and social equity transitions, the cultural and creative sectors are: 1) transforming practices of production and consumption; 2) (spatially) embedded in a plurality of tangible and intangible heritage and identities; and 3) influencing and shaping people's values, behaviours, and perceptions towards climate action."
Pridmore notes that AI will remain a key focus: "As we look towards the next few years, AI will become increasingly normalised, available, and embedded everywhere. Although there are some issues with the notion of human centric - why is it that we privilege our own human position in relation to a planet in crisis? - I see this thinking as a needed response to a too often techno-solutionist approach that is often being pushed by big tech companies."
Contributing to the faculty and society
"I am excited to develop the Faculty's role within the Sector Plan's Tradition in Transition Cultural Heritage and Identity theme," says Brandellero. "I see a lot of potential to initiate collaborations on topics relating to the value of past and new forms of heritage skills, the digital transition in creative crafts, and the valuation of (traditional) practices of repair and mending in the context for sustainability transitions in production and consumption."
Pridmore outlines three goals for his societal contributions: "First, I intend to make a difference in how we think about AI in education, equipping students and staff with the tools and knowledge to make good decisions about how AI can be a part of our learning processes. Second, I want to develop ways to understand AI within the context of science communication. And finally, I want to directly work on changing everyday work practices for the better through AI."
According to Dean van Selm, "ESHCC has strategically utilized the National Sector Plan for the Social Sciences and Humanities to strengthen research and teaching in key thematic areas. One of their specific assignments is to further stimulate the research and education related to the sector plan themes of Cultural Heritage & Identity and Human Artificial Intelligence & the Datafied Society."
Future vision
The appointments align with ESHCC's ambition to conduct internationally leading research on the complex relationships between media, communication, society, culture, and technological developments. Brandellero will deploy her expertise to develop new approaches to sustainable urban development, while Pridmore will focus on the role of AI in social interactions and policy-making. Through these appointments, ESHCC strengthens its position as a centre for research into societal change processes, with special attention to sustainability and artificial intelligence.
