Tag: semantic web

  • Best Paper Award at SemDH 2025!

    We are delighted to share that our paper, “Enhancing Provenance Research with Linked Data: A Visual Approach to Knowledge Discovery“, has received the Best Paper Award at the SemDH 2025 Workshop (Second International Workshop of Semantic Digital Humanities), co-located with the ESWC 2025 Conference, Portorož, Slovenia.

    This paper was authored by Sarah Shoilee (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), Annastiina Ahola (Aalto University), Heikki Rantala (Aalto University), Eero Hyvönen (Aalto University), Victor de Boer (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), Jacco van Ossenbruggen (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), and Susan Legene (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam). It reflects a fruitful collaboration between VU Amsterdam and Aalto University in Finland, made possible through Sarah’s research visit to Aalto in early 2025.

    In this work, we explored how Linked Data and semantic exploration tools can be applied to support knowledge discovery in the domain of provenance research for colonial heritage collections. Using the PM-Sampo platform, we developed methods to visualize and extract provenance-related knowledge—such as the people, places, and historical events connected to cultural heritage objects—helping researchers uncover patterns that are often buried in complex archival data.

    We are honored that the SemDH reviewers and community recognized the contribution of our work. We believe this award not only reflects the strength of our interdisciplinary collaboration but also the growing importance of semantic infrastructure in the Digital Humanities.

    A big thank you to the SemDH organizers, reviewers, and the vibrant community around it. And heartfelt thanks to all our co-authors—it’s been a pleasure to work together!

    We look forward to continuing this research and welcome new conversations and collaborations.

  • HEDGE-IoT project kickoff

    HEDGE-IoT project kickoff

    The HorizonEurope project HEDGE-IoT started January 2024. The 3.5 year project will build on existing technology to develop a Holistic Approach towards Empowerment of the DiGitalization of the Energy Ecosystem through adoption of IoT solutions. For VU, this project allows us to continue with the research and development initiated in the InterConnect project on data interoperability and explainable machine learning for smart buildings.

    Researchers from the User-Centric Data Science group will participate in the project mostly in the context of the Dutch pilot, which will run in Arnhems Buiten, the former testing location of KEMA in the east of the Netherlands. In the pilot, we will collaborate closely with the other Dutch partners: TNO and Arnhems Buiten. At this site, an innovative business park is being realized that has its own power grid architecture, allowing for exchange of data and energy, opening the possibility for various AI-driven services for end-users. HEDGE-IoT project kickoff

    VU will research a) how such data can be made interoperable and enriched with external information and knowledge and b) how such data can be made accessible to services and end-users through data dashboards that include explainable AI.

    The image above shows the Arnhems Buiten buildings and the energy grid (source: Arnhems Buiten)