Isabel Skierka-Canton
Expertise and Background
I am a technology and politics expert with a decade of experience working at the intersection of digital policy, technology, geopolitics, and cybersecurity across Germany and Europe.
A bit more detail:
Since April 2024, I've been working with govdigital, a public sector–focused technology firm dedicated to accelerating digital transformation across all levels of government in Germany. I am currently on parental leave until September 2026.
Before joining govdigital, I served as the Program Lead for Technology Politics and Senior Researcher at the Digital Society Institute (DSI) at the European School of Management and Technology (ESMT) Berlin. The institute advanced interdisciplinary approaches to cybersecurity and digital governance in Europe. I led projects on cyber resilience, digital government, and technology policy, cooperating with government ministries, corporations, and civil society organizations. Alongside my work at ESMT, I completed a PhD in 2023 at Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech), analyzing governance mechanisms for the resilience of digital states.
Public contributions & media
Beyond my research and project work, I have been an active contributor to the public debate on digital technology policy in Germany. I have also presented my work on IT security, digital sovereignty, and digital identity before the German Bundestag’s Committee on Digital Affairs and across various media platforms. Moreover, I was a "next generation" founding member of the German Internet Governance Forum and am active in several digital policy and cyber security networks.
Previous roles & education
Earlier in my career, I was a research associate at the Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi) in Berlin, where I continue to serve as a non-resident fellow. My earlier professional background includes roles as a Carlo Schmid Fellow with NATO’s Smart Defence Initiative, a Bluebook Trainee at the European Commission’s DG CONNECT, and a visiting researcher at the Institute of Computer Science at Free University of Berlin.
Apart from my PhD in innovation and governance from TalTech, I hold a Master’s degree with distinction from the War Studies Department of King’s College London and a Bachelor’s degree with distinction in European Studies from Maastricht University, which included a stay at Sciences Po Paris. My academic work and professional development have been supported by several merit-based scholarships and fellowships.