Kayla Schwoerer is an Assistant Professor of Public Administration in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at Vrije Universiteit (VU) Amsterdam. She also holds an appointment as Associate Research Professor in the Department of Public Administration and Policy at Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the University at Albany, State University of New York (SUNY).
Schwoerer was recently awarded the prestigious NWO Veni grant (€320,000) for her project, The Visibility Dilemma: Investigating the Intermediating Role of Platform Algorithms in Government Communication.
Research Interests
Schwoerer’s research examines how governments, nonprofit organizations, and the people they serve navigate an increasingly digital world, with a particular focus on AI, social media, digital services, data-driven decision-making, and emerging technologies.
Her work explores how technology reshapes the ways people interact with organizations, institutions, and one another, while also examining how human values, organizational cultures, and governance systems shape the technologies that are developed and used. Using rigorous and innovative mixed methods, Schwoerer studies how digital tools and technologies influence trust, decision-making, and citizen-state interactions, as well as how public and nonprofit organizations adapt to the opportunities and challenges created by technological change. Her research ultimately seeks to understand what good governance looks like in a digital society and how institutions can use technology to better serve the public good.
Research & Societal Impact
In 2024, Schwoerer founded the Governance & Digital Experience (GovDX) Lab, an interdisciplinary research community focused on understanding how digital technologies are transforming governance, organizations, and citizen experiences. Through the lab, she collaborates with students, scholars, practitioners, and community partners to examine the opportunities and challenges of governing in a digital age. The lab connects rigorous academic research with real-world problems and serves as a space for interdisciplinary collaboration, public engagement, and knowledge exchange across sectors.
Teaching
As a teacher and mentor, Schwoerer helps students develop technical and analytical skills while encouraging them to think critically about the role of technology in public life. Her teaching spans research methods, data science, and public administration. She emphasizes hands-on learning, real-world examples, and interdisciplinary perspectives, encouraging students to ask meaningful questions, critically evaluate evidence, and consider how public and nonprofit institutions can better serve society.
Public Scholarship & Commentary
Schwoerer is committed to making academic research accessible beyond traditional scholarly audiences. Through public writing, speaking engagements, media contributions, and social media, she regularly explores issues related to digital governance, algorithms and AI, public institutions, democracy, and internet culture. Her public scholarship seeks to connect research and practice and contribute to broader conversations about technology’s role in society.