Algorithms increasingly influence organizations in the public sector. Even though algorithms can strengthen the effectiveness and efficiency of the public sector, there is also reason for concern. Can we trust that these algorithms respect our privacy and work in a non-discriminatory manner? Researchers and citizen organizations call for algorithmic transparency since they expect that this will result in justified trust in the use of these algorithms. This research project investigates this claim through ethical research (mapping ethical dilemmas in algorithmic transparency for justified trust) and experimental research (understanding empirical relations between algorithmic transparency and trust) and design research (developing design principles for algorithmic transparency). The research objectives are to develop a thorough ethical and empirical understanding of algorithmic transparency and use this understanding to develop design principles to guide the development and implementation of (1) predictive policing algorithms for operational planning and (2) intake systems for crime reporting by citizens. We will focus specifically on the police since they are quite advanced in the use of these algorithms and this usage generates specific concerns in view of the key position of the police in dealing with conflict in our society. Our research combines knowledge from the humanities about ethics and ethical dilemma’s with knowledge from social science on empirical relations between transparency and trust. For the development of the design principles, we will also build upon knowledge from information systems research to ensure the validity and usefulness of these principles for designing algorithms.

• dr. M.T. (Mirko) Schaefer
• prof. dr. José van Dijck

Cities and urban regions are key sites and vantage points of societal transitions to circular economies, healthy living, resilience and inclusiveness. One of the key mediators of such transitions are technical infrastructures—socio-technical systems in the provision of energy, water, wastewater, waste, mobility and information and communication services. However, those systems are highly path dependent and are interlaced with the built environments of cities, urban practices of production and use and embedded in a complex web of political interests and epistemic cultures. Our infrastructure choices today set the default for many decades to come. Changing urban infrastructures thus imposes exceptionally high requirements in terms of the transformative knowledge for decision makers. Our ambition with this hub is to develop a platform for new transdisciplinary collaborations on urban sustainability transitions through the lens of urban infrastructures. We will explore and test innovative techniques and practices of urban ‘futuring’, experimentation, co-provision and governance in cities around the world and develop sustainability indicators and assessment tools to understand, evaluate and promote pathways to urban sustainability. The hub will bring together the substantive knowledge of leading researchers at Utrecht University and will work closely together with stakeholders in novel ways to co-create knowledge in ‘city learning labs’ and transdisciplinary workshops, that is both policy relevant and intellectually ambitious.

• prof. dr. ir. B. (Bert) Brunekreef
• prof. dr. Harriet Bulkeley
• dr. ir. J. Colen Ladeia Torrens MSc
• prof. dr. Peter Driessen
• dr. Martijn van den Hurk
• dr. Peter Pelzer
• dr. Shaun Smith
• dr. Vanessa Timmer
• prof. dr. ir. R.C.H. (Roel) Vermeulen
• prof. dr. Annelies Zoomers
• prof. dr. Jochen Monstadt

• dr. Jeroen Vermeulen
• prof. dr. Maarten van Bottenburg
• prof. dr. Frank van Eekeren