Sofie De Broe

Sofie De Broe, PhD is the Scientific Director of Data Governance (A.I.) at Sciensano, Belgium’s national institute for public health. With extensive expertise in data governance, statistics, and health policy, Sofie plays a pivotal role in shaping data strategies, including Sciensano’s One Health program and research initiatives. She also holds a Chair by Special Appointment in Smart Statistics for Policy Design and Development at Maastricht University. Sofie’s background includes leadership roles at the Health Data Agency of Belgium where she served as director (A.I.) and at Statistics Netherlands, as Head of Methodology and Scientific Director of the Centre for Big Data Statistics (CBDS), spearheading efforts to innovate official statistics through big data and data science.

Sofie earned her PhD in Social Statistics and Reproductive Health from the University of Southampton, UK, and has held academic and research positions at universities in Germany and the UK. Her career spans over two decades, including her work at the Office for National Statistics in the UK, where she contributed to improving migration statistics. Sofie’s leadership have positioned her as a leading figure in the intersection of data governance, health policy, and AI-driven innovations.

Sciensano is Belgium’s public health institute, dedicated to monitoring, analyzing, and safeguarding the nation’s health. Through cutting-edge research, scientific expertise, and collaboration with national and international partners, Sciensano provides critical data and insights to inform public health policies. The institute focuses on a wide range of health domains, including epidemiology, environmental health, and disease control, leveraging data science and artificial intelligence to improve healthcare outcomes for Belgium’s population.