Claes de Vreese, University Professor of AI and Society at the University of Amsterdam and independent member of the SSH-council, has been awarded the 2026 Stevin Prize. This highest Dutch scientific distinction recognizes his pioneering research into the influence of media, digital technologies, and artificial intelligence on democracy. The Stevin Prize highlights the relevance of SSH-research: science that is not only fundamental but also directly contributes to solving urgent societal challenges.
Research with impact
De Vreese’s work focuses on the question: How do big tech, algorithms, and AI shape our democracy? As a globally recognized expert in political communication and digital technology, he analyzes how social media and AI influence public opinion, elections, and democratic processes. He advises governments, the European Commission, and the European Parliament, and regularly appears in (inter)national media to address these themes.
His commitment to knowledge utilization is exemplary. De Vreese has established institutions such as the AI, Media and Democracy Lab (one of the first ELSA Labs in the Netherlands) and the Digital Democracy Centre in Denmark, where the ethical, legal, and societal aspects of AI are researched in collaboration with societal partners, policymakers, and media. Additionally, he served on the board of the European Digital Media Observatory, a platform for fact-checking and media literacy.
A recognition for SSH-research
The Stevin Prize is a confirmation of the strength of SSH-research: connecting science with society. De Vreese’s approach—interdisciplinary, co-created with partners, and focused on knowledge sharing—demonstrates how SSH-research directly contributes to preserving democratic values in an era of digital transformation.
His reaction to receiving the award is characteristic of his humility and dedication: “I simply don’t know what to say (and that does not happen often…). Overwhelmed, grateful, humbled, and excited to receive the Stevin Prize.”
He sees the prize as an encouragement for interdisciplinary research and emphasizes the importance of collaborating with early-career scholars: “Supervising, mentoring, and learning from early career scholars is arguably the biggest impact we can have on society, through shaping future research and scholars.”
About Claes de Vreese
De Vreese (born 1974, Denmark) has become one of the most cited researchers in his field after graduating cum laude and earning a PhD (awarded by the international communication science community) at the University of Amsterdam. He has supervised over 90 PhD and postdoctoral researchers and is a co-founder of leading institutes such as ASCoR (Amsterdam School of Communication Research), which is globally renowned for its research on communication, politics, and AI.
The 2026 Stevin Prize is not only a recognition of De Vreese’s achievements but also of the entire SSH-domain, where relevance and societal impact are central.