Current Projects
I am currently working on several research projects connected to big data use by policymakers (see below) with the goal of unpacking the way data information impacts policymaking. I am also involved in two book projects - one on ‘Handbook of Governance and Data Science’ (Edward Elgar) and one on ‘Public Administration in the Digital Era’ (Routledge).
Hybrid Explainable Workflows for Security and Threat Intelligence
In research into threats to safety and security, people and AI collaborate to obtain actionable intelligence. Their sources and methods often have significant uncertainties and biases. Experts are aware of these limitations, but lack the formal means to handle these uncertainties in their daily work. This project will invent a ‘metadata of uncertainty’ for threat intelligence (in both machine-readable and also human-interpretable forms) and validate it empirically. More info here.
Data-driven, urban policy-making for social inclusion of young, vulnerable people
The central aim of this project is to create an inclusive school setting with and for adolescents with autism during their unstructured leisure time at school by looking at innovative data sources to identify and overcome obstacles in the school setting. This includes contextual factors, such as national and local policy, building architecture and the school environment as well as group behaviour and individual indicators. More info here.
Past Projects
Digital Public Service Delivery
This project focuses on data-based solutions at local level in several social policy domains. Together with Prof. Sandra Groeneveld and Prof. Wessel Kraaij (LIACS) the goal is to look at the impact of big data within government and which opportunities and challenges occur for managing and using this new information in local policymaking processes. Linked to this project is the PhD research by Annelieke van den Berg. (More information)
Digitizing decentralized policy
The project focuses on the question What is the impact of the Dutch Digital Omgevingsloket on decentralized implementation? In particular, in relation to issues of discretion and accountability.The ambition to establish rules and routines in a standardized software for data collection and distribution seems to run counter to the emphasis on ‘decentralized discretionary power’ for the implementation at local level. In this context, the project addresses the conflicting aspects arising for bureaucrats working with the digital tools while implementing the Omgevingswet. The project is carried out together with the Dutch Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL).
The Hague Going2Zero
June 2018-March 2019 - This project focused on understanding the complexities of the energy transition in The Hague by widening the perspectives of stakeholders and policymakers, and study the overall dynamics of stakeholder interaction by simulating the decision-making environment that they face in real life. This was done through a data and a policy analysis, which formed the foundation for a serious game. The project was a collaboration of Delft University, Haagse Hogeschool & Leiden University and funded by the Municipality of The Hague as part of the CID challenge.
READ-Urban
June 2017-December 2018 - This project focused on 'Robust Estimation using Aggregated Data for Urban policy making'. Together with Prof. Wessel Kraaij from the Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS), Dr. José Miotto (Postdoc, LIACS) and Statistics Netherlands (CBS), the goal was to use a combination of traditional urban data (e.g. survey data) and more dynamic sources of information to support urban decision-making processes in the area of poverty. (More info in Dutch)
Collaborations
I am part of the ELSA Lab AI4Access, which looks at new AI techniques, co-design methods and policy recommendations for ensuring that key areas of knowledge and services become more accessible for people with auditory or visual impairments or low literacy levels, which will increase their cultural, social and political participation – an important precondition for a more inclusive society.
I am part of the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Centre for BOLD Cities. This group of researchers from the three universities addresses the challenges for citizens in the big, open and linked data city.
I am also a member of the Governance and Data Science Group at the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs (FGGA).
I am part of the Leiden Centre of Data Science Research Programme, which brings together data science with other academic domains.
In collaboration with LIACS (Leiden University), I am Co-Coordinator of the the 'ICT in the Public Sector' Program.
Working Papers
Giest, Sarah, McBride, Keegan, Nikiforova, Anastasija, and Sikder, Sujit Kumar. Data-driven Transformations in Policy and Governance: A Landscape Review. (under review)
Nasri, Maedeh, Giest, Sarah, Baratchi, Mitra, Koutamanis, Alexander, and Carolien Rieffe. Role of movement data in creating inclusive school settings for students.
Yu, Siqing, Cornips, Leila, Steen, Trui, Giest, Sarah, Jukic, Tina, and Joep Crompvoets. Participation in Citizen Science: A Systematic Literature Review.
Wellstead, Adam, Evans, Bryan, Ottenhof, Nora, Giest, Sarah, and Ishani Mukherjee. The goals and means of policy innovation labs: A global review through the lens of policy design.
Ingrams, Alex, Giest, Sarah, and Simon Vydra. Opportunities and challenges of machine learning tools for crowdsourcing in regulatory policy making.
Ingrams, Alex, Giest, Sarah, Murukannaiah, Pradeep, and Cavalcante Siebert, Luciano. The effects of moral framing on crowdsourced comments: The case of regulations.gov.
Giest, Sarah, Mineshima-Lowe, Dale, Huss, Oksana, and Roxana Bratu. The Janus face of data agency in personal and policymaking contexts.
Mukherjee, Ishani, Giest, Sarah, and Nihit Goyal. The demand side of policy design: Capacity, behavior, and access to smart meter implementation in India.