Shefali Virkar

Background

About Shefali Virkar

I am Assistant Professor at the Institute for Public Management and Governance, WU Vienna University for Economics and Business. With a background in political science, economics and psychology, I am an experienced academic dedicated to exploring how Artificial Intelligence shapes, and is in turn shaped by, the individual actors and groups who design, deploy, and utilise these technologies, particularly in public sector contexts. Through my research and teaching, I aim to actively engage with the scholarly debates surrounding disruptive technologies, and to provide evidence-based insights to guide policy and practice. As a seasoned researcher, I am passionate about understanding the political and socio-economic implications of emerging artificially intelligent technologies, and how the reconfiguration of traditional governance structures and human relationships can be harnessed to empower stakeholders and promote social justice. In the classroom, I strive to equip my students with not just a strong foundation in key concepts and issues, but also the intellectual curiosity and critical thinking skills essential for lifelong learning. I strongly believe in the importance of forging lasting connections between universities and the wider community, and am involved in a range of professional and personal activities that support the creation and exchange of knowledge outside of traditional academic environments. My research interests include: Public sector AI, digital transformation of the public sector, technology acceptance, data-driven decision making and decision support systems, information search and retrieval; knowledge sharing; ICT4D.