Esra Gules-Guctas

Assistant Professor Esra Gules-Guctas is a faculty member with a joint appointment at the John Glenn College of Public Affairs and the Translational Data Analytics Institute. Her research primarily centers around the intersections of law, technology and public policy, particularly in terms of algorithmic systems in public sector decision making.

A major focus of her research revolves around understanding individual-level perceptions of the use of algorithmic systems by government agencies. She studies the assignment of responsibility when complex algorithmic systems falter and the subsequent implications for government accountability. A major area of interest in her research is the judicial scrutiny of automated decisions. Through her work, Gules-Guctas examines how individuals understand their justice problems and respond to them in an increasingly automated world, and the ways in which the courts are adapting to the rapid technological advancements.

Gules-Guctas uses an interdisciplinary approach in her research, drawing from diverse literatures including public administration, critical data studies, human-computer interaction, procedural justice and legal consciousness. Her research is generously funded by the NSF-funded Law and Science Dissertation Grant Program, American Political Science Association and Russell Sage Foundation.

Before stepping into academia, Gules-Guctas served as an attorney, gaining critical insights into the legal landscape that now inform her research and teaching.