Profile
My work centres on AI, big data, and robust data pipelines. I have worked with AI and data for twenty years, mostly as a researcher. Since 2026, I have built practical experience with generative AI, from computer vision on historical photographs to AI-assisted software development. My research has examined how academic mathematics is practised, using data analysis and machine learning as a quantitative supplement to qualitative methods. At the University of Copenhagen, I led a research group and served as Deputy Head of Department for Research. I am neither a doomsayer nor an evangelist about AI. I test what the technology can do, and I examine how we learn to judge its answers critically.
Selected Projects & Results
AI Bias in Image Generation
Research Lead, DH4PMP, 2024–present
- Systematic mapping of implicit stereotypes in frontier models: what does generative AI imagine when asked to depict a researcher or a farmer?
- Multi-model pipeline (CLIP, LLaVA, Claude Haiku) is a reusable framework for AI auditing in organisations
- Identifies governance risks in the use of generative AI within organisations
Digital Humanities for Philosophy of Mathematical Practice (DH4PMP)
Research Lead, 2018–present
- Coordination of cross-disciplinary collaboration spanning humanities, computer science and mathematics
- Development of tools for automatic bibliographic metadata extraction which are reusable in both research and library contexts
- Training and further development of object detection models from scratch (first Faster R-CNN, then YOLO), incl. dataset curation, annotation and iterative retraining: from a prototype on 130,000 pages to an open package processing about 20,000 articles with markedly higher precision
Semantic Image Search
Consulting Project, Royal Danish Library, 2025–present
- Developing a scalable proof-of-concept for semantic and visual search across large photographic collections
- Based on a multimodal AI pipeline (CLIP for image analysis, LLaVA and Claude Haiku for description), initially applied to approximately 70,000 historical portrait photographs
Framework for AI-assisted software development (dh4pmp-cli)
Designer and developer, 2026–present
- Handoff protocol with a fixed schema that validates every transfer between Chat, Code, and the file system, so that the checkpoints are followed in practice from start prompt to validation
- Data audit and tested code required in every delivery, so that results are robust, correct and reproducible
Source-Centred History of Mathematics for Upper Secondary School
Project lead, teacher and editor, 2016–2018
- Programme for 10 upper-secondary mathematics teachers with workshops, online sessions and a conference in Bath with English colleagues, on teaching and developing materials based on historical sources
- Grant holder (UVM, lottery funds, DKK 66,000)
Professional Experience
Professor
University of Copenhagen, 2016–2026
- Public communication through TV, radio, newspapers, journals and public lectures
- Development and teaching of compulsory philosophy-of-science courses for students in computer science and mathematics, with about 200 computer science students a year
- 140 articles and books, including 10 books, two of which are used as textbooks at the University of Copenhagen (see website)
- Annual revision of the course material based on very positive course evaluations, in 2025 leading to the publication of a full textbook for the course for computer science students
- Two of seven weeks in the philosophy of computer science course address computer science ethics, both applied ethics (AI, consequences of predictions) and professional ethics, and the topic is covered in depth in the book "Algoritmer og Ansvar: De datalogiske fags videnskabsteori" (2025, with Mikkel Willum Johansen, Samfundslitteratur)
- Co-author of a mapping of general-education philosophy courses (filosofikum) in other countries (report, 2018), responsible for the part on Norway
- Department supervisor associated with the university pedagogy programme (Universitetspædagogikum) since 2018
Affiliate Professor
University of Copenhagen, 2026–2029
- Honorary title in history and philosophy of mathematical and computational sciences
Subject Editor (fagansvarlig)
Lex (the Danish national encyclopaedia), 2026–present
- Subject editor for the history and philosophy of mathematics and computer science
- Writing, updating and maintaining encyclopaedia articles in the field, including handling readers' change proposals and comments
Deputy Head of Department for Research
University of Copenhagen, 2017–2021
- Strategic development and follow-up, including a central role in preparing, conducting and following up a major international evaluation
- Leadership advisory on strategy, resource allocation and organisational development, plus coordination of cross-organisational initiatives
- Preparation of scenario analyses, staffing plans and decision briefs for leadership
- Long-term staffing plans three to five years ahead, balanced between research and teaching needs and between the research groups
- Chair of the department's Research Committee of four senior researchers: open discussion and consultation and sparring on initiatives across sections and research groups
- Collection and consolidation of the department's annual reports as a fixed, automated workflow
- Regular meetings with the research group leaders, both informational and bottom-up
- Co-author of the departmental evaluation, responsible for the research part, and lead on the research sessions during the expert panel's three-day visit
Section and Research Group Leader
University of Copenhagen, 2016–2021
- Personnel responsibility incl. performance reviews (MUS), recruitment and budget responsibility for the research group
- The research group grew from four to seven permanent staff and about six PhD students and post-docs
Associate Professor
Aarhus University, 2007–2016
Postdoctoral Researcher
University of Agder (Norway) and Utrecht University (the Netherlands), 2003–2007
Education
PhD, History of Mathematics
Aarhus University, 1998–2002
- Dissertation on the development of mathematics in the 19th century; focus on Niels Henrik Abel
MSc, Mathematics & Computer Science
Aarhus University, 1992–1998
- Specialisation in combinatorics and computational mathematics (C/C++)
Communities & Networks
Network for History and Philosophy of Computer Science
Grant holder, DFF, 2017–2018
Online mini-conferences: Topics in Philosophy of Mathematical Practice
2020–2022
- Organiser of three annual online mini-conferences in the philosophy of mathematical practice
NNPS2017: Nordic Network for Philosophy of Science
2017
Services to the profession
Treasurer
International Commission on the History of Mathematics, 2010–2019
- Managing the commission's incoming and outgoing payments
Book Review Editor
Historia Mathematica, 2015–2019
- Responsible for reviews of non-English books
Vice-President and later President
Danish Society for the History of Science, 2018–2022
Board Member
Cirklen (association for mathematics teachers in the Aarhus area), 2006–2012
Awards & Recognition
Montucla Prize 2009
International Commission on the History of Mathematics, 2009
- Best article by a young researcher published in Historia Mathematica 2005–2008
Technical Skills
- Python (advanced, 10+ years)
- AI-assisted software development with Claude Code and Claude Chat in a structured, version-controlled workflow