My research focuses on how people acquire, evaluate, and share knowledge in science and education. I develop intellectual virtue frameworks for responsible AI use, with particular attention to intellectual autonomy, scrutiny, humility, curiosity, and justice. My work combines philosophical analysis with empirical research and collaborations with psychologists and computer scientists.

I lead the Sikimić Lab for Intellectual and Value Progress. Its website presents the lab’s people, projects and the upcoming conference The Future of Science (Eindhoven, 5–6 November 2026).

I examine how AI changes scientific discovery, peer review, grant review, and the responsibilities of researchers. My work asks how scientists can benefit from AI while maintaining intellectual autonomy, evaluating evidence carefully, and remaining responsible for their conclusions. I develop frameworks grounded in intellectual virtues and study the ethical and epistemic implications of automated research evaluation.

Relevant publications

• Navigating AI-Accelerated Science: An Intellectual Virtue Approach to Responsible Inquiry, Vlasta Sikimić, Episteme, First View, pp. 1–18. (2026).
• Do Different Artificial Neural Networks Think Alike? On the Feasibility of Cataloging Representations, Philipp Moritz Stecher, Vlasta Sikimić and Reinhard Kahle, Minds and Machines, 36(1), Article 17. (2026).
• Fair or Flawed? Rethinking Grant Review with Generative AI, Vlasta Sikimić, Synthese, 206(6), Article 282. (2025).
• Trust in Science During Global Challenges: The Pandemic and Trustworthy AI, Vlasta Sikimić. In M. M. Resch, N. Formánek, A. Joshy and A. Kaminski (eds.), The Science and Art of Simulation: Trust in Science, Springer, Cham, pp. 133–145. (2024).
• Machine Learning in Scientific Grant Review: Algorithmically Predicting Project Efficiency in High Energy Physics, Vlasta Sikimić and Sandro Radovanović, European Journal for Philosophy of Science, 12(3), Article 50. (2022).
• How Theories of Induction Can Streamline Measurements of Scientific Performance, Slobodan Perović and Vlasta Sikimić, Journal for General Philosophy of Science, 51(2), pp. 267–291. (2020).
• Optimal Research Team Composition: Data Envelopment Analysis of Fermilab Experiments, Slobodan Perović, Sandro Radovanović, Vlasta Sikimić and Andrea Berber, Scientometrics, 108(1), pp. 83–111. (2016).

My work on AI in education connects intellectual virtues, critical thinking, and epistemic justice. I examine how students can use AI while developing independent judgement and remaining active participants in learning. This research informs my teaching and the projects Virtuous Reasoning with AI and VISTA.

Relevant publications

• The Future of Education in Digital Environments: Editorial for the Topical Collection AI in Education: Ethical and Epistemic Perspectives, Aleksandra Vučković, Vlasta Sikimić and Marina Budić, Digital Society, 5, Article 10. (2026).
• Artificial Intelligence in Classroom Management: A Systematic Review on Educational Purposes, Technical Implementations, and Ethical Considerations, Tim Fütterer, Patricia Goldberg, Babette Bühler, Vlasta Sikimić, Ulrich Trautwein, Peter Gerjets, Kathleen Stürmer and Enkelejda Kasneci, Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 9, Article 100483. (2025).
• Global Justice and the Use of AI in Education: Ethical and Epistemic Aspects, Aleksandra Vučković and Vlasta Sikimić, AI & Society, 40(4), pp. 3087–3104. (2025).
• The Intellectual Justice Scale: Measuring How Fairly People Engage With Knowledge, Yara Daamen, Vlasta Sikimić and Daniël Lakens, OSF preprint. (2026).

I also co-edit the Digital Society Topical Collection AI in Education: Ethical and Epistemic Perspectives. See Editorial Service.

I study how the organization of research shapes what science learns. Team structures, funding decisions, the dominant language of science and the inclusion of underrepresented groups all affect the quality and fairness of research. I combine data on research communities with philosophical analysis to identify changes that make science more reliable and more just.

Relevant publications

• Epistemic Inclusion as the Key to Benefiting from Cognitive Diversity in Science, Vlasta Sikimić, Social Epistemology, 37(6), pp. 753–765. (2023).
• How to Fight Linguistic Injustice in Science: Equity Measures and Mitigating Agents, Aleksandra Vučković and Vlasta Sikimić, Social Epistemology, 37(1), pp. 80–96. (2023).
• (Dis)satisfaction of Female and Early-Career Researchers with the Academic System in Physics, Vlasta Sikimić, Kaja Damnjanović and Slobodan Perović, Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering, 29(2), pp. 25–50. (2023).
• Modelling Efficient Team Structures in Biology, Vlasta Sikimić and Ole Herud-Sikimić, Journal of Logic and Computation, 32(6), pp. 1109–1128. (2022).
• How to Improve Research Funding in Academia? Lessons From the COVID-19 Crisis, Vlasta Sikimić, Frontiers in Research Metrics and Analytics, 7, Article 777781. (2022).
• Do Political Attitudes Matter for Epistemic Decisions of Scientists?, Vlasta Sikimić, Tijana Nikitović, Miljan Vasić and Vanja Subotić, Review of Philosophy and Psychology, 12(4), pp. 775–801. (2021).

Funded Projects

• Intellectual Virtues and the Future of Research with Generative AI. Principal investigator. NWO XS grant. Project period 2026–2027.
• Virtuous Reasoning with AI. Principal investigator. 4TU Centre for Engineering Education grant. Project year 2026.
• VISTA, Virtuous and Independent Student Thinking with AI. Principal investigator. EuroTeQ grant. Awarded, begins in 2027.