Roberta Sinatra

What do you research?

I am a Professor in Computational Social Science and my research is at the forefront of network science, data science, and computational social science. My work focuses on the quantitative understanding of social systems based on massive data sets and controlled experiments. I am a physicist by training, but also well-read in social science literature. I study social systems by applying methods from data science, network science, and statistical analysis. In the scientific community, I am renowned for studies about the science of science, which studies quantitatively how science is structured, evolves, and progresses, and about applications of network science.

Why is it so important?

Recognition, be it in science or art, is mostly based on measures of success, like impact indicators or measures that capture what we, as a society, think about. This is problematic because great discoveries will not automatically have recognition and impact, as biases distort the link between these two things. What I aim to do with my research is to improve our science by measuring, modeling, and understanding where these biases are and thereby where this distortion happens. Furthermore, my research helps to put the right interpretation on numbers. Data and indicators are amazing quantitating tools, but just as fundamental is the interpretation of the data, because it is the data interpretation that will inform our decision making.

A project you are proud of?

I have just started a new project with the aim of matching the impact of artificial intelligence on science. Generative AI has already entered our lives as scientists, academics, and teachers. AI co-authors publications, writes codes, and generates graduate level essays. Yet many uses of AI go undisclosed, leaving us in the dark about who’s leveraging it, for what reasons, and to what extent. Our goal is to unveil these aspects, ensuring the scientific community is prepared for the broader implications of AI’s pervasive integration.

Updated October 2024

In previous policy fellowships, Roberta has worked with Jenny Bøving Arendt, Head of Danske Gymnasier (Alumner - Policy Fellowship).