Hannes Cools

My academic journey started coincidentally in 2018 when I finished my master’s in international politics and media and was simultaneously working as a journalist for the Belgian newspaper De Morgen. The initial idea of pursuing a PhD became more prominent when I was confronted with a relatively new development redefining journalistic practice today: the increasing ‘datafication’ of newsrooms.

I was specifically fascinated by how emerging technologies like recommender systems and audience metrics tools seemingly automated daily decisions in newsrooms. My experience from the news industry laid the groundwork for what would become my research line in my PhD and beyond: exploring the complex ways in which news workers perceive and engage with emerging technologies.

In 2025, I am an assistant professor at the University of Amsterdam. I am also an affiliated researcher at the Communication, Culture and Technology Program at Georgetown University in Washington DC.