Welcome to BISS! We're a hub for bright minds diving into the fascinating world of data. At BISS, we're not just about teaching and researching data science; we're on a mission to make a real impact on society. By harnessing the power of AI and data science, we aim to tackle important challenges and create positive change. Join us in shaping a smarter, data-driven future at BISS!
Our work
Can automated systems give good financial advice?
We investigate what good automated financial advice is, the ethical aspects, and communication.
LinkedIn Post
STRIKE | The ELSA-Lab Poverty and Debt multitasked yesterday: while on strike, we showcased our ELSA-lab as an example of academic research with clear societal impact. In the ELSA-lab, BISS works with Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, Open Universiteit and other partners, to ensure that technology and AI are used responsibly to tackle poverty and debt. The ELSA-lab made its voice heard: doehetniet
AI to prevent poverty and debt
1 in 14 children in the Netherlands grow up in poverty. This is unacceptable, so we are doing something about it!
Inspiration sessions Data science
3 inspiration sessions where participants will get insights and tools to increase the impact of data in their work.
Prevent factory shutdowns
How can we ensure an operator responds effectively to alarms and takes appropriate actions?
LinkedIn Post
MEET THE TEAM | Gijs van Dijck – Principal Investigator at BISS in smart legal analytics This week we’re spotlighting Gijs van Dijck. With a keen interest in law, ethics, and technology, Gijs brings a sharp analytical mind and a strong sense of justice to the team. He’s helping BISS navigate complex digital landscapes with thoughtful, balanced approaches to innovation and governance. When it comes to vlaai, Gijs keeps it classic—any kind of Limburgse vlaai will do. A timeless choice, much like his calm and grounded perspective. His favorite characters? The A-Team – especially because they manage to drive off in the desert with squealing tires (how?!). A great metaphor for making the impos
Flying Forward: Drones that fly on their own
How can drones follow the laws and rules that apply in a region, country and continent?
LinkedIn Post
UPDATE | An afternoon of roleplaying to develop your skills for interdisciplinary collaborations with societal impact. Participants played different roles, such as researcher in data science, health insurance representative, AI ethicist, or medical expert. Putting themselves in the shoes of someone else turned out to be a valuable experience, and having to solve challenges together as a diverse group required some serious communication skills. Our BISS-colleagues Vivienne Curvers, Judith Kamalski, Yenisel Plasencia-Calaña & Dani Shanley had a great time leading this workshop at the conference Making a Difference: Societal Impact through Collaborative Research, organized by Utrecht Data Sc
FAIR4AI: making AI models practically usable
In the suite of FAIR4AI projects, we are improving the practical usability of AI models by implementing the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles.
Training Data Interpretation, Ethics & Security
In 2 days, data science will be explained in an interdisciplinary manner using a case from the organization.
Experiencing poverty with VR
Step into the shoes of a struggling family and experience the impact of financial stress in VR.
Visualizing Case Law Networks: An Open Source Tool for Legal Scholars
Answering Legal Research Questions About Dutch Case Law with Network Analysis and Visualization.
- Projects
- Partners
- Presentations
- Vlaaien
Current partners
Outstanding partnership in empowering digital innovation
The Brightlands Institute for Smart Society has been located on the Brightlands Smart Services Campus since its founding in 2016 and our collaboration goes far beyond technology alone. Within the Brightlands ecosystem, we work on smart digital services, each in our own role. It is a very pleasant collaboration with short lines of communication based on our shared ambition to empower people and organizations through the socially responsible application of digital technologies and that improve the quality of life.
Outstanding partnership in empowering digital innovation
The Brightlands Institute for Smart Society has been located on the Brightlands Smart Services Campus since its founding in 2016 and our collaboration goes far beyond technology alone. Within the Brightlands ecosystem, we work on smart digital services, each in our own role. It is a very pleasant collaboration with short lines of communication based on our shared ambition to empower people and organizations through the socially responsible application of digital technologies and that improve the quality of life.
Our team
