Ruth Timmermans

Commencing her career in historical research with a focus on gender and socio-economic issues, Ruth Timmermans boasts over two decades of experience in the media and music industry. Notably, between 2004 and 2022, she served as the director at the renowned Dutch-Flemish Gonzo Circus music and art magazine. During her tenure, she consistently advocated for gender equality and diversity in the media and creative industries through journalism, research, public presentations, professional outreach, and contributions to policy development. Her commitment to advancing DEI earned her a spot in the Alternative Power 100 Music List by SheSaid.So in 2018. Currently, she is associated with LI-MA, a Dutch platform for pioneering digital art.

In 2023, propelled by a keen interest in new digital technologies and data science, she earned a Master's in Digital Humanities from the University of Groningen. Her thesis, to be presented at the Measure of Music conference, unravels gendered networks among artistic gatekeepers in the music industry. Employing advanced computational methods, this network analysis of big data sourced from social media reveals fresh insights into the structural and topological underpinnings of persistent male-dominated networks and the impact of so-called assortative mixing on communication within gatekeeper networks. Her presentation at the conference will offer a glimpse into the affordances and challenges of conducting research at the intersection of humanities and digital technologies.