Research focus

• AI ethics

• Applied ethics

• Practical philosophy

• Philosophy of technology

• Critical theory

Positions

• 2023-present: Researcher, Sustainable AI Lab, Institute for Science and Ethics (IWE), University of Bonn (Germany)

• 2019-2023: PhD student, Section Philosophy, University of Twente (The Netherlands)

• May-July 2022: Visiting Graduate Student, Institute for History and Philosophy of Science and Technology (IHPST), University of Toronto (Canada)

• October 2021-January 2022: Visiting Researcher, Rathenau Instituut, The Hague (The Netherlands)

Degrees

• September 2023: PhD in AI Ethics, University of Twente (The Netherlands)

• June 2019: MA in Applied Ethics, Linköping University (Sweden)

• July 2018: MA in Philosophy (Cum Laude), KU Leuven (Belgium)

• July 2017: BA in Philosophy and Political Science, KU Leuven (Belgium)

Awards

• June 2019: Achievement Award for excellence in the 1-year international master´s programme Applied Ethics (Linköping University)

Publications

Peer-reviewed articles

• Waelen, R. (2023). A historical and ethical analysis of the constitutive effects of cameras. Journal of Human Technology Relations, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.59490/jhtr.2023.1.7006

• Waelen, R. (2023). The ethics of computer vision: An overview in terms of power. AI and Ethics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43681-023-00272-x

• Waelen, R., & Wieczorek, M. (2022). The struggle for AI’s recognition: Understanding the normative implications of gender bias in AI with Honneth’s theory of recognition. Philosophy & Technology, 35. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13347-022-00548-w

• Waelen, R. (2022). The struggle for recognition in the age of facial recognition technology. AI and Ethics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43681-022-00146-8

• Waelen, R. (2022). Why AI ethics is a critical theory. Philosophy & Technology, 35. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13347-022-00507-5

• Waelen, R. (2021). De zin van sterfelijkheid. Podium voor Bio-Ethiek, 28(2). https://nvbioethiek.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/20210618-podium-21-2-digitaal.pdf

Book chapters

• Waelen, R. (Forthcoming Fall 2023). A critical approach to AI ethics. In S. Lindgren (Ed.), Handbook of Critical Studies of Artificial Intelligence. Edward Elgar Publishing.

• Waelen, R., & Brey, P. A. E. (2022). Ethical dimensions of facial recognition and video analytics in surveillance. In M. Boylan, & W. Teays (Eds.), Ethics in the AI, Technology, and Information Age (pp. 217-231). Rowman & Littlefield.
  
  

Book reviews

• Waelen, R. (2022). Boekbespreking: Wij, Robots. Een filosofische blik op technologie en artificiële intelligentie. Privacy en Informatie, 2.
  
  

Dissertation

• Waelen, R. (2023). The power of computer vision. A critical analysis. https://research.utwente.nl/en/publications/the-power-of-computer-vision-a-critical-analysis

Recent talks (Selected)

• June 2023: ´The role of hope in a critical theory of technology´, Workshop on Political Hope, University of Bonn, Germany (Invited speaker)

• June 2023: ´Datafication and exploitation´, Bi-annual SPT conference, Society of Philosophy of Technology, Japan

• January 2023: ´Ethics of using cameras in public space´ (in Dutch), VVGS, Belgium (remote) (Invited speaker)

• November 2022: ´Why AI ethics is a critical theory´, Workshop on Ethical Theories for AI, Bremen University, Germany

• October 2022: Panel ´Critical AI Studies´, TAIGA launch event, Umeå University, Sweden (Invited speaker)

• September 2022: ´Datafication and exploitation´, Exploitation and exploitations conference, Newcastle University, United Kingdom

• December 2021: ´Why AI ethics is a critical theory´, Bi-annual Budapest Philosophy of Technology conference (BudPT), Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Hungary

• October 2021: ´Gender bias in AI and Honneth´s Struggle for Recognition´, Workshop on bias and discrimination in algorithmic decision making (BIAS), Leibniz University, Germany