Veni grant for Melanie Fink
Melanie Fink, Assistant Professor of European law, has received a Veni grant from the Dutch Research Council (NWO). This research grant will allow Dr Fink to develop her ideas on ‘Gateways for Humanity: The Duty to Reason in the Automated State’ over a period of three years.
Research
One of the major challenges for the future of automation is its lack of humanity. Algorithmic prediction reduces the complexity of human life to a set of data that leads to a particular outcome in ways that are often incomprehensible. This subjection to unreasoned state power is dehumanising. This project uses the EU obligation to give reasons for decisions in order to increase human involvement in automated processes. By broadening the scope of the EU obligation to give reasons, the project ensures that this obligation is a key factor in addressing the dehumanisation of the automated state.
Veni grants
Veni is a funding instrument that forms part of the NWO Talent Programme. It gives outstanding researchers the opportunity to develop their ideas over a period of three years. 21 researchers from Leiden University have been awarded Veni grants this year.
Photo: Luca Bravo through Unsplash