Research Areas

• Care ethics

• Bioethics

• Ethics of technology

• Environmental ethics

• Phenomenology

• Deconstruction

• Grounded theory

Academic Employment

• 2021-Present: Researcher, Sustainable AI Lab, Institute for Science and Ethics, University of Bonn, Germany

• 2020-2021: Care ethics researcher, Resilient People Centre, University-Colleges Leuven Limburg, Belgium

• 2019-2021: Postdoc researcher, Centre for Biomedical Ethics and Law, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven & Centre for Care Research & Consultancy, KU Leuven, Belgium

• 2016-2019: PhD Candidate, Centre for Biomedical Ethics and Law, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Belgium

Degrees and Certificates

• 2019: PhD in Biomedical Sciences (focus Philosophy & Ethics), KU Leuven

• 2015: Master of Philosophy (Magna Cum Laude), KU Leuven

• 2014: Bachelor of Philosophy, KU Leuven

• 2013: Master of Theology and Religious Studies (Cum Laude), KU Leuven

• 2012: Bachelor Theology and Religious Studies, KU Leuven

Selected Awards

• 2020: 2020 Doctoral Dissertation Award on Artificial Intelligence & Ethics (Microsoft Cooperation & Pontifical Academy for Life)

Publications

Peer-reviewed articles

• Vandemeulebroucke, T., Cavolo, A. & Gastmans, C. (2022). 'Yes we hear you. Do you hear us?'. A sociopolitical approach to video-based telepsychiatric consultations. Journal of Medical Ethics 48 (1), 34-35. doi: 10.1136/medethics-2021-108058

• Vandemeulebroucke, T., Dzi, K. & Gastmans, C. (2021). Older adults' experiences with and perceptions of the use of socially assistive robots in aged care: A systematic review of quantitative evidence. Archives of Gerontology and geriatrics 95, . doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2021.104399

• Vandemeulebroucke, T., Dierckx de Casterlé, B. & Gastmans, C. (2021). Socially assistive robots in aged care: Ethical orientations beyond the care-romantic and technology-deterministic gaze. Science and Engineering Ethics 27(2). e17. Doi: 10.1007/s11948-021-00296-8.

• Vandemeulebroucke, T., de Casterle, B.D. & Gastmans, C. (2020). Ethics of socially assistive robots in aged-care settings: a socio-historical contextualisation. Journal of Medical Ethics 46 (2), 128-136. doi: 10.1136/medethics-2019-105615 Open Access

• Vandemeulebroucke, T., de Casterle, B.D., Welbergen, L., Massart, M. & Gastmans, C. (2020). The Ethics of Socially Assistive Robots in Aged Care. A Focus Group Study With Older Adults in Flanders, Belgium. Journals of Gerontology Series B-Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 75 (9), 1996-2007. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbz070

• Vandemeulebroucke, T., Dierckx de Casterlé, B. & Gastmans, C. (2018). The use of care robots in aged care: A systematic review of argument-based ethics literature. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 74, 15-25. doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2017.08.014

• Vandemeulebroucke, T., Dieckx de Casterlé, B. & Gastmans, C. (2018). How do older adults experience and perceive socially assistive robots in aged care: a systematic review of qualitative evidence. Aging & Mental Health 22 (2), 149-167. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2017.1286455

Non peer-reviewed articles

• Visser, G. & Vandemeulebroucke, T. (2018). Sociale robots voor thuiswonende mensen met dementie: plezier of bittere noodzaak (Social robots for community-dewlling older adults with dementia: for fun or a necessary evil). Geron: Tijdschrift over Ouder Worden & Maatschappij 20 (4), 60-63. doi: 10.1007/s40718-018-0179-x
   

Book Chapters

• Vandemeulebroucke, T. (2022). Can care robots care for older adults? An overview of the ethical landscape. In R. Amo Usanos, (ed.). Bioética para una sociedad envejecida (Bioethics for an ageing society). Madrid: U. P. Comillas. [Forthcoming]

• Vandemeulebroucke, T. & Gastmans, C. (2019). The Ethics of Care Robots in Aged Care: An Overview of Ethical Argumentations and Concepts. In: Paglia, V. & Pegoraro, R. (Eds.) Robo-Ethics: Humans, Machines and Health. Rome: Pontifical Academy for Life, pp. 231-251.
   

Book Reviews

• Vandemeulebroucke, T. (2021). Nursing Ethics: Feminist Perspectives. Ethik in der Medizin, 33 (3), 421-422. doi: 10.1007/s00481-021-00638-x

Dissertation

• Vandemeulebroucke, T. (2019). The Use of Socially Assistive Robots in The Care for Older Adults: A Socio-Historical Ethical Analysis. Leuven: Leuven University Press. ISBN: 9789461652959.
  

White Papers/Policy Reports

• Vandemeulebroucke, T., Mertens, E., Denier, Y., Gastmans, C. (2021). Technologische gezondheidsinnovaties. Ontwikkeling van een ethisch evaluatiekader (Health technology innovations. Development of an ethical evaluation framework). Leuven: Steunpunt Welzijn, Volksgezondheid en Gezin. Report No. 2021/09 62 EF47(2)-Ethiek (URL)

• Vandemeulebroucke, T., Denier, Y. & Gastmans, C. (2021). Technologische gezondheidsinnovaties: Overzicht van ethische screenings- en evaluatiekaders. (Health technology innovations: overview of ethical screening and evaluation frameworks) Leuven: Steunpunt Welzijn, Volksgezondheid en Gezin. Report No. 2021/04 52 EF47-Ethiek. (URL)

• Vandemeulebroucke, T. & Lemiengre, J. (2021). Ethische ondersteuning bij goede onlinehulpverlening. Ethiek van het gebruik van sociale media in de hulpverlening voor jongeren. (Ethical support for good online care practices. Ethics of the use of social media in care support for teenagers). E-inclusie, Kenniscentrum Mediawijsheid. (URL)

Public Talks (Selected)

• 2021: “Using socially assistive robots in aged care. What is the ethical impact and where is it to be found?” (Invited speaker)

  Digital Technology and Healthcare – 36th RoMedINF Conference 2021 – University Hospital Basel, Switzerland https://sites.google.com/view/romedinf-2021/home

• 2020: “The ethics of the use of socially assistive robots (SARs) in aged care: A historical contextualization.”

  Winter Course: Ethics in Dementia Care. 6th Edition – Leuven, Belgium

• 2018: “What do You Think of Robots? An Ethical Account of Socially Assistive Robots (SARs) in Aged Care.”

  EACME Annual Conference 2018: Ethics in Action – University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands

• 2017: “Letting Robots Through the Door? Developing an Experience Grounded Ethical Account of the Use of Socially Assistive Robots in Aged Care.”

  18th Nursing Ethics & 3rd International Ethics in Care Conference: Challenges and Opportunities for Ethics in Nursing and Care – Leuven, Belgium