Joe Wakley, School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics

Project Title: ‘AI and Humans: Reckoning and Judgement’

I have really enjoyed my first month with the LINAS program.  Having the more experienced students around has been a great benefit.  The interdisciplinary nature of the program has also greatly helped me settle into my studies.  Hearing how other students think about and approach their topics from different disciplinary perspectives has encouraged me to begin exploring how I will approach my own work, with a broader perspective than would otherwise have been possible.

 

Dylan Magill, School of Maths and Physics

Project Title: ‘Tidal Disruption of Stars: A Critical Look at Machine Learning Methods for Finding Hungry Black Holes’

LINAS has been very welcoming, supportive and helpful as I’ve started my PhD. It’s great to have a varied group, in addition to the Astrophysics Research Centre, to have discussions and share ideas with.  The interdisciplinary aspects of my project have made it very interesting for me and results in my project standing out amongst my peers in ARC.  I’ve definitely enjoyed my start so far and look forward to continuing on my journey as a LINAS Doctoral Scholar.

 

Fiona Stuart, School of Law

Project Title: Developing a dynamic, immersive training programme for police when working with adults with SLCN

I have greatly enjoyed my first few weeks in the LINAS programme and the opportunity to focus on police training around speech and language needs from the perspective of AI and virtual reality, with a view to improving outcomes for vulnerable adults.  I have particularly enjoyed the interdisciplinary aspect of LINAS and have already seen the added value of the connections I have made on my own research.  The welcome has been incredible, and I have felt very supported at the start of my research journey.

 

Enas Abdelfatah, School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics

Project Title: ‘AI Gatekeepers and the Politics of Security: Secrets, Races, and Regulations’

This is my first year with LINAS and it’s been a great start.  I’ve really enjoyed meeting my colleagues.  Everyone has been so welcoming and the environment here is so supportive.  I was drawn to LINAS programme because it offers the freedom to explore ideas with the support of top experts in AI and algorithms.  The programme’s resources and flexible approach allow me to dive deeper into my interests in artificial intelligence, security politics and gatekeeping.

LINAS programme feels like the perfect place to advance my research and grow professionally.  The interdisciplinary supervision and wider LINAS programme provides a supportive and engaging research community that is exploring emerging AI technologies and practices and their ethical and societal implications.

 

Emily Hickman, School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics

Project Title: ‘Responsible Use? The Interaction of Humans, Algorithms, and AI in the Deployment and Governance of UCAVs’

I believe it is fair to say that most people think of PhD students as being recluses who spend most of their time behind a computer screen or with their head in a book in solitude as they seek to answer pressing questions of our age.  While that is not an entirely false depiction (I certainly thought the same until recently), my time in the LINAS program over the last two months has been full of people who make the research less lonely, who are invested in my success and that of my peers, and who support me each day.  

The research is fascinating, challenging, thought-provoking, and sometimes obscure, but knowing that there are dozens of people on campus and in my personal life who have offered help and guidance in innumerable ways has made the transition into the unknown life of a PhD student infinitely easier.  

The LINAS program provides the perfect combination of rigor, discovery, and insightful discussions.  I also appreciate that the program incorporates various cohorts of students as it allows us to seek advice and wisdom on our work, progress, and concerns with our peers in a cyclical and reinforcing pattern of support and communication.  I look forward to continuing my work in this program and reflecting on similar themes in years to come.

 

Suzy Enoch, School of Arts, English and languages

Project Title: 'Using stories to evaluate the limitations of generative AI and Large Language Models.

Beginning my PhD as a creative writer, the main challenge for me initially was the organisation of research.  Consequently, the first few weeks of investigation have been into crucial questions such as 'How do you work Zotero?' and 'How do I keep track of my notes?'  However, now this is sorted it has been fascinating to begin to identify key players within my field.  

I am studying how Large Language Models infer meaning from stories and in particular the subtext of stories and have found relevant papers in the fields of computer science, linguistics, creative writing, business and even philosophy and ethics.  This sheer diversity of view point has made the start of my LINAS journey a fascinating and inspiring, if slightly daunting, experience.