New publication

Research Handbook in Data Science and Law s Out!

Our community member, Vanessa Mak, has co-edited the updated “Research Handbook in Data Science and Law”. This edition examines the rapid growth of data use and its legal implications, exploring contemporary research and the application of data in healthcare, urban governance, and smart devices.

The book addresses critical legal questions arising from data-driven technologies, analyzing whether new regulations are needed and highlighting potential ethical issues. It covers the evolution of regulations on AI, generative AI, large language models, and EU legislation on consumer contract law and data protection.

This handbook is a vital resource for students of information, media, internet, and technology law, as well as legal scholars, practitioners, and data scientists interested in the legal aspects of their field.

PhD Event

ELS Academy Midseason Event: A Recap

What an incredible day it has been at the ELS Academy’s recent event! 🎉 The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the emphasis on community building. From lively discussions to collaborative activities, attendees had the opportunity to connect with peers and experts alike, fostering a vibrant and supportive ELS community. Here’s a quick rundown of the day:

We started off the day with a warm welcome from Helen Pluut, the director of ELS Academy.

Marc Hertogh, Pieter Desmet, and Paulien de Winter delved into the theory and various quantitative and qualitative methods used in ELS research, providing valuable insights for all attendees.

Over a delicious lunch, attendees had the chance to meet other PhD cohort members, connect, and exchange ideas. We continued the discussions with presentations on surveys by Helen Pluut, case law analysis by Anne-Jetske Schaap, and interviews by Anja Eleveld, who are experts in their respective fields.

After coffee, we continued with the presentation of Femke Ruitenbeek-Bart and Arno Akkermans on normativity in empirical legal studies. Then we went on with the fun and interactive “ELS Game” by Jessie Pool and Rowie Stolk, in which everyone’s attention, knowledge, and even taste buds were tested. The winning team got a nice price!

As the day came to an end, we were treated to inspiring closing remarks from Monika Glavina, the executive coordinator of the ELS Academy research school, and Anne Brekoo, PhD representative, reflecting on the day’s discussions and looking forward to future collaborations.

Last but not least, we wrapped up the event on a high note with networking drinks at L’Esperance, further solidifying the connections made throughout the day. A huge thank you to all our speakers, organizers, and attendees for making this event a resounding success!

Event

PhD Kick-Off Event for PhD Students in Rotterdam in 2024

We are glad to announce that the new round of the well-known PhD Kick-Off Event will take place in Rotterdam in October 2024!

Event

ELS Academy organised a PhDays together with the VSR

After pre-VSR conference PhDays in Leuven (2022) and Amsterdam (2023), the VSRxELS PhD School this year took place on January 16 and 17. And it was yet another success!

We kicked off Day 1 with opening remarks by Danielle Chevalier and Quirine Eijkman and an inspiring keynote by Ashley Terlouw about bridging the gap between science and politics. We explored academia ‘inside’, with beginner and advanced level workshops on methodology: interviews, surveys, experiments and translating empirical findings to normative implications. On Day 2, Barbara Oomen presented her keynote on engagement in PhD research and offered advice on how to navigate academia – the keynote was nothing short of engaging. We then explored academia ‘outside’, with workshops on external factors that can influence the course of the PhD. Helen Pluut provided the concluding remarks on behalf of ELS Academy.

We are happy to collaborate with the VSR on this event, which is by and for PhD students. We are therefore very grateful to the organizing committee, consisting of Dorien Claessen, Eve Ernst, Kimia Heidary, Anne Janssen and Kaat Overmeire. Together with the participating PhD students – who come from different countries, have various research backgrounds and are in different stages of their research – they manage to create a safe, fun and inspiring atmosphere.

A big thank you to the Access to Justice research group of Hogeschool Utrecht for hosting us this year in snowy Utrecht .

PhD

Anna Brekoo is a New PhD Cohort Representative

Dear ELS Academy Members,
We are very happy to introduce to you Anne Brekoo, a representative of the PhD cohort of 2023-2024. Here is a couple of words from Anne:

“My name is Anne and I am a third-year PhD student in the ‘European Doctorate on Law and Economics’ at Erasmus University Rotterdam. My PhD research focuses on international criminal law, and specifically investigates the consequences of jurisdictional pluralism with respect to criminal behaviour.
As the cohort representative, I will act as the central contact person. So if you have any questions, feel free to reach out. My aim is to organise a range of social and academic events, to really create a sense of community amongst us young legal empiricists at an inter-university level. If anyone would like to help me out with this, please let me know because it would be great to form a small group for the organization of community-building events .

I look forward to meeting you all again soon!”

Warm wishes,
Anne