L.M. (Lucas) Haitsma, Dr
Associated researcher - Human Rights and Artificial Intelligence
E-mail:
l.m.haitsma rug.nl
Field/Discipline
Expertise
Lucas is an associated researcher at the department of Constitutional Law, Administrative Law & Public Administration. He holds a bachelor's degree in International and European Law and two master's degrees, both Cum Laude, in Global Criminal Law and Governance and Law in Digital Society. In 2025 he defended his PhD dissertation, Inscrutable Systems, Tangible Harms, at the University of Groningen.
For his PhD, Lucas conducted empirical legal research into the regulation and governance of algorithmic discrimination in supervision and enforcement: how risks of discrimination arise through algorithmic decision-making and AI in Dutch public administration, and how organizations mitigate them. He carried out this research within social security organizations and as a researcher in residence within the AI Validation team at the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, combining qualitative and legal research methods.
Alongside his fellowship, Lucas works as an AI Governance Consultant at the Rijks ICT Gilde, advising public sector organizations on EU AI Act implementation and fundamental rights risk governance.
For his PhD, Lucas conducted empirical legal research into the regulation and governance of algorithmic discrimination in supervision and enforcement: how risks of discrimination arise through algorithmic decision-making and AI in Dutch public administration, and how organizations mitigate them. He carried out this research within social security organizations and as a researcher in residence within the AI Validation team at the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, combining qualitative and legal research methods.
Alongside his fellowship, Lucas works as an AI Governance Consultant at the Rijks ICT Gilde, advising public sector organizations on EU AI Act implementation and fundamental rights risk governance.
Other positions
- Member of Working group on AI and Big Data - Fundamental Rights and Ethics - Netherlands Normalisation Institute (NEN)
- Member of Raad van Reflectie Toezicht en Handhavingsbeleid DUO
- Former Member of the Data Research Center
- Former Chairman and Secretary of the PhD Council for the Faculty of Law
- Former Member Raad van Reflectie 'Evaluatie Controle Uitwonende beurs DUO'
- Member of the JuLIA (Justice, Fundamental Rights, and Artificial Intelligence) project
- Former Member of the Werkgroep Bias en Non-Discriminatie Algoritme Kader - Ministerie van Binnenlandse Zaken
- Contributor to the E-Learning Module Non-Discriminatie - Ministerie van Binnenlandse Zaken
Last modified:20 September 2026 3.18 p.m.