Delegates from the VPH at the Science and Technology Studies Italia (STS Italia) conference in Milan
This week Zita Van Horenbeeck, social scientist at the VPH, is presenting her PhD research at the 10th edition of the Science and Technology Studies Italia (STS Italia) conference, taking place in Milan, Italy, from June 11-13.
The theme of this year’s edition is “Technoscience for Good: Designing, Caring and Reconfiguring”, a reflection on how science and technology shape society and vice versa.
Zita’s research, conducted under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Ine Van Hoyweghen at KU Leuven, delves into the evolving concept of trust within the in silico medicine community, a topic increasingly relevant as digital and AI-driven tools make their way into healthcare systems. Her presentation was featured in the panel “Who Cares About AI?”, where she unpacked different understandings of trust but also offered thoughtful reflections on how public engagement could be meaningfully integrated into the future of the field.
Her work brings valuable insights to make in silico medicine more inclusive, transparent, and socially grounded. We're proud to see this kind of interdisciplinary research contributing to the ongoing dialogue at the intersection of science, technology, and society.
