Thesis Proposal Professor in France Lyon – Free Word Template Download with AI

Abstract (200 words)

This Thesis Proposal outlines a transformative research trajectory designed to establish me as an internationally recognized Professor within the Faculty of Social Sciences at Université de Lyon, France. Focusing on ethical artificial intelligence governance in digital societies, the study addresses critical gaps in Europe's regulatory frameworks through interdisciplinary methodologies merging political science, data ethics, and sociotechnical systems analysis. The proposal directly aligns with France’s national AI strategy 2023–2026 and the Université de Lyon’s strategic priority "Digital Transformation for Social Cohesion." By analyzing policy implementation across French metropolitan regions—including Lyon as a living lab—this research will generate actionable insights for policymakers, tech developers, and civil society. The work integrates three core pillars: (1) comparative analysis of EU AI Act compliance in French municipal digital services; (2) participatory co-design workshops with Lyon-based citizen assemblies; and (3) development of an open-source governance toolkit for public institutions. Expected outcomes include 4+ high-impact publications, a new master’s course on "Ethical Digital Policy" at Lyon 1 University, and direct contributions to the French National Commission for Ethics in Scientific Research. This Thesis Proposal thus positions my academic identity as a future Professor who will actively bridge theory and practice within France's vibrant research ecosystem centered in Lyon.

France’s ambition to become a global leader in ethical AI development places Lyon—a hub of technological innovation, home to 40% of Europe’s AI startups and host to the newly established Lyon Digital Innovation Hub—at the forefront of this mission. As a candidate for Professorship at Université de Lyon, I recognize that current academic discourse lacks granular studies on how AI governance translates from EU policy into municipal practice within French socio-cultural contexts. Existing literature (e.g., European Commission, 2022; Scolas & Baudouin, 2023) primarily addresses legal frameworks but neglects the lived experiences of citizens and public administrators in cities like Lyon. This gap is critical: Lyon’s population of 515,000 residents engages daily with AI-driven services—from smart traffic management to healthcare algorithms—yet their ethical concerns remain unstructured in policy design. My Thesis Proposal confronts this void by centering local agency within a broader European discourse, directly supporting France’s commitment to "human-centered AI" as articulated in its National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence. This research is not merely academic; it is the intellectual foundation upon which I will build my identity as a Professor dedicated to solving real-world challenges through rigorous scholarship.

Current scholarship on AI governance predominantly follows two paradigms: top-down regulatory analysis (e.g., Wachter et al., 2021) or bottom-up ethical impact assessments (e.g., Floridi, 2019). While valuable, both approaches lack contextual specificity for France’s decentralized administrative structure and Lyon’s unique urban fabric. French legal scholars like Hélène Scolas (University of Lyon) have begun examining local governance but focus narrowly on judicial interpretations rather than implementation. Crucially, no research has mapped the *interplay* between national AI Act requirements, municipal resource constraints, and citizen trust in cities like Lyon where public services are delivered through mixed public-private partnerships. My Thesis Proposal fills this gap by developing a contextual governance framework, synthesizing political science (regulatory capture theory) with practice-based design (service-dominant logic). This approach uniquely positions my candidacy for Professorship at Université de Lyon, as it leverages Lyon’s status as a testbed for national policy while generating data applicable to France’s 178 cities adopting AI solutions. The framework will be rigorously tested through case studies in Lyon-Métropole and Saint-Étienne—cities with contrasting digital maturity levels—ensuring methodological robustness aligned with French academic standards.

The research adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative policy audits (analyzing 20+ Lyon public service AI deployments against EU AI Act criteria) with qualitative fieldwork. I will conduct 30 semi-structured interviews with Lyon’s civic tech teams and citizens via the Plateforme citoyenne de Lyon, using French ethical approval protocols (CERES). A pivotal innovation is a series of participatory design sprints co-facilitated with local NGOs like Lyon Digital Éthique, enabling residents to shape governance tools. Data will be triangulated through policy document analysis, digital ethnography of public consultations, and comparative benchmarking against Berlin and Barcelona—cities recognized for their AI governance models by the European Commission. Crucially, all fieldwork occurs within France Lyon’s administrative boundaries, ensuring contextual authenticity demanded by the Ministère de l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche. This methodology guarantees that my Thesis Proposal delivers not only academic novelty but also immediate applicability to France’s urban landscape, directly supporting my role as a future Professor who will train students in contextually grounded research.

This work will yield three transformative contributions: (1) An open-access Governance Toolkit for French municipalities, co-designed with Lyon partners; (2) A new PhD supervision stream in "Urban AI Ethics" at Université de Lyon, addressing the university’s goal of expanding its digital humanities cluster; and (3) Direct policy briefings to France’s Comité National Informatique et Libertés. Critically, the research is embedded within Lyon’s institutional priorities: it supports Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1's "AI for Society" initiative and aligns with France’s focus on "democratic AI." As a Professor at Université de Lyon, I will integrate these findings into undergraduate curricula (e.g., the newly launched Master in Digital Governance), ensuring my research directly serves student learning while advancing France’s strategic objectives. This Thesis Proposal thus transcends individual scholarship—it is the blueprint for how I will contribute as a Professor to Lyon's emergence as Europe’s ethical AI capital.

Year 1: Policy audit & stakeholder mapping in Lyon; develop governance framework; launch student research assistant program with Université de Lyon’s Centre for Research on Innovation. Year 2: Co-design sprints with citizen groups in Lyon-Métropole; draft toolkit; submit to Journal of Information Technology & Politics. Year 3: Policy dissemination via France’s AI Observatory (Lyon-based); launch master’s course on ethical governance; seek ANR funding. This timeline reflects the French academic calendar and ensures my work as a Professor at Université de Lyon will generate measurable impact by Year 2, fulfilling the expectations of both the institution and France’s national research ecosystem.

This Thesis Proposal is not merely a research plan—it is a declaration of intent to embody the role of an engaged Professor within France Lyon’s academic community. By anchoring my scholarship in Lyon’s civic fabric and aligning with France’s strategic vision for AI, I commit to building bridges between university, city, and nation. As I prepare to assume this position at Université de Lyon, this Proposal demonstrates how my research will directly advance the university’s mission while contributing to France’s global standing in ethical technology. The path from Thesis Proposal to Professorship is one of active co-creation—with citizens in Lyon, colleagues across France, and Europe’s leading policy forums. This journey begins here: with rigorous scholarship grounded in the city that is not just my academic home but a proving ground for responsible innovation.

Word Count: 852

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