Rino Heim – Associate Professor at Norwegian University of Science and Technology NTNU

I am an Associate Professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim. My research focuses on political behavior, with a particular emphasis on how political institutions and technological innovations shape voters’ attitudes and decisions in elections and referendums. I specialize in policy evaluation, using advanced empirical methods to identify the causal effects of public policies and the mechanisms behind voter decision-making. A key part of my work examines how information, such as that provided by Voting Advice Applications, affects electoral outcomes, reduces or exacerbates voter biases, and shapes political behavior more broadly. I am also interested in how direct democracy, compared to representative democracy, influences political choices and policy outcomes. By integrating impact evaluation with the study of informational environments, I aim to understand how transparency, voter guidance, and public communication can improve accountability and strengthen democratic processes.