Data Ethics and Responsible AI Innovation

Robin Williams serves as Professor of Social Research on Technology at the University of Edinburgh, where he established and directs the Institute for the Study of Science, Technology and Innovation (ISSTI). After studying Natural Sciences and Social and Political Science at Cambridge and earning his PhD from Aston University, he has built an extraordinary career spanning over three decades at Edinburgh since 1986. His research focuses on the social shaping of technology, particularly examining how various actors influence the design, implementation, and use of information and communication technologies. As a pioneer in the field of Science and Technology Studies, he has secured over 50 external research awards and developed the influential "Biography of Artefacts" perspective with colleagues to understand how technologies and practices co-evolve. His impact is evidenced through numerous influential publications, including "How Industry Analysts Shape the Digital Future" and "Software and Organizations," with his 1996 paper on social shaping of technology garnering over 2,400 citations. Through ISSTI, he continues to promote interdisciplinary research across areas including ICT, life science innovation, and environmental sustainability, while fostering collaborations between social scientists and specialists from Science, Engineering, and Medicine.

Morgan Currie serves as Lecturer in Data and Society at the University of Edinburgh's Science, Technology and Innovation Studies department, where she examines the intersection of data infrastructure and democratic governance. After earning her PhD in Information Studies from UCLA in 2017 and completing a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University's Digital Civil Society Lab, she has built an impressive career investigating open government data, algorithmic welfare systems, and civic data practices. As principal investigator of The Culture & Communities Mapping Project and co-lead of the Digital Social Science Research Cluster at the Centre for Data, Culture & Society, she explores how data infrastructures shape democratic participation and political engagement. Her research spans multiple areas including automated social services, administrative data practices, and urban datafication, with particular focus on how city governments deploy data-driven tools for public services. Through projects examining Universal Credit automation and cultural mapping initiatives, she continues to advance understanding of how data practices influence democratic decision-making while maintaining active engagement with communities through participatory research methods.

Burkhard Schafer serves as Professor of Computational Legal Theory at the University of Edinburgh's Law School, where he has established himself as a leading authority at the intersection of law, science, and technology. After earning degrees in logic, philosophy, and computer linguistics from the University of Munich and a Master's in Law from Lancaster University, he has built an extraordinary career spanning over 25 years at Edinburgh. As co-founder and former director (2010-2021) of the SCRIPT Center for IT and IP Law and co-director of the Joseph Bell Centre for Forensic Statistics and Legal Reasoning, he explores both the challenges technology poses to law and its applications within legal systems. His research impact is evidenced through more than 120 publications on legal expert systems, semantic web applications, and technological regulation, garnering over 4,000 citations. His influence extends through significant appointments including chairing AI4People's legal services expert group, membership in the Turing Institute's data ethics group, and serving on various Scottish Government expert panels on digital ethics and policing technologies. Through his work on computational creativity, emotional AI, and their legal implications, he continues to shape understanding of how technology transforms legal thought while maintaining positions at multiple institutions including the Centre for Social Innovation at the University of New Brunswick and universities in Sao Paolo, Graz, and Grenoble.

Michael Rovatsos serves as Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Edinburgh's School of Informatics and recently concluded his role as Director of the Bayes Centre (2018-2023). After earning his PhD in Computer Science from the Technical University of Munich in 2004, he has built an extraordinary career spanning two decades at Edinburgh, progressing from Lecturer to Professor while shaping the field of multi-agent systems and ethical AI. His research combines AI techniques from knowledge-based to game-theoretic approaches, focusing particularly on developing transparent, accountable, and fair AI systems since 2014. As Principal Investigator on projects worth over £18 million, he has led initiatives including UnBias, ReEnTrust, and CyCAT, addressing algorithmic fairness and transparency. Born in Greece and raised in Germany before settling in Scotland, he brings a unique international perspective to his work. His impact extends through leadership roles including Deputy Vice Principal of Research (2020-2022) and current positions as Chair of the University IT Committee and member of the Scottish AI Alliance Leadership Circle. Through collaborations with social scientists and industry partners, he continues to advance human-centric AI while mentoring the next generation of researchers in ethical algorithm design.

Professor Ewa Luger serves as Chair of Human-Data Interaction at the University of Edinburgh, where she co-directs the Institute of Design Informatics and the AHRC's Bridging Responsible AI Divides (BRAID) programme. After earning degrees in International Relations & Politics and a PhD in Computer Science, she has built an extraordinary career spanning academia and industry. Her research focuses on social, ethical, and interactional issues in data-driven systems, with particular emphasis on design, power dynamics, and user consent. Prior to her current role, she served as a fellow at the Alan Turing Institute, researcher at Microsoft, Fellow of Corpus Christi College at Cambridge, and consultant ethicist for Microsoft Research. Her impact extends through over £40 million in externally-funded projects since 2016, including leadership of major initiatives like the EPSRC Responsible NLP CDT and collaborations with the UKRI Digital Twinning Network. Drawing from 15 years of experience in digital inclusion research with marginalized communities, she continues to shape responsible AI development through close collaboration with policymakers and industry, serving on the DCMS college of experts and various advisory boards. Her pioneering work on voice assistants and algorithmic intelligibility has significantly influenced the field of human-centered AI design.