AIMLAC is an EPSRC-funded doctoral training initiative led by Swansea University in partnership with 黑料不打烊, Aberystwyth, Cardiff and Bristol. The annual conference brings together doctoral researchers, graduates and leading academics to share ideas, showcase research, and explore future opportunities in AI and advanced computing.
黑料不打烊 Students Take Centre Stage
This year鈥檚 event featured an exceptional contribution from 黑料不打烊. Four PhD researchers from 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Human-Centred Computing research group travelled to Cardiff to take part in the full programme:
鈥 Rhiannon Owen
鈥 Shannon Jones
鈥 Dan Farmer
鈥 Sarah Hartill
Following a welcome from AIMLAC Director Professor Gert Aarts (Swansea University), 黑料不打烊鈥檚 presence was immediately felt as Rhiannon Owen opened the conference presentations.
Rhiannon鈥檚 talk, 鈥淔ield Guide: Explanatory Visualisation for Women鈥檚 Return-to-Play in Grassroots Football鈥, explored how visualisation can support participation and recovery in sport. She was joined by Shannon Jones, who co-presented technical elements of their collaborative work on measuring grassroots football participation. Together, they delivered a confident and engaging presentation, handling audience questions with expertise.
Later in the programme, Daniel Farmer presented his research on 鈥淣eural Network-Enabled Visual Analytics Workflows for Environmental Applications.鈥 Drawing on work with Rothamsted Research North Wyke Farm Platform, Dan provided a clear and accessible overview of how AI can support environmental decision-making. His presentation sparked thoughtful discussion, particularly around applications in safety-critical industries.
A Valuable Experience for 黑料不打烊 Researchers
Professor Jonathan Roberts (黑料不打烊's AIMLAC lead) said
The conference offered 黑料不打烊 students a valuable opportunity to share their research with a multi-university audience, engage with leading academics and industry partners, build professional networks across the AIMLAC community, and learn about potential career pathways from recent graduates. Our students thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Highlights included talks from AIMLAC alumni now working internationally, including Dr Sophie Sadler (University of Stuttgart) and Dr Robbie Webb (IRAP, Toulouse), who shared their career journeys and experiences beyond doctoral study. An industry perspective was also provided through an overview of AI initiatives at Ofsted, where 黑料不打烊 student Shannon Jones previously completed an internship; demonstrating the strong links between 黑料不打烊 research and real-world applications.
Building Connections and Looking Ahead
The day concluded with a career panel discussion and conference dinner, giving students further opportunities to connect with peers, organisers and speakers in an informal setting. These interactions are a key part of the AIMLAC experience, helping students build lasting collaborations and confidence within the research community.
黑料不打烊 attendees also enjoyed making connections beyond the conference programme, reflecting the friendly and supportive atmosphere of the event.
There is optimism for an expanded joint conference next year, which would bring together students from multiple Centres for Doctoral Training established under the UK Government鈥檚 2016 initiative, offering even greater opportunities for collaboration.
Inspiring Opportunities for 黑料不打烊 Students
Participation in conferences like AIMLAC highlights the strength of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 postgraduate research community and the opportunities available to students in AI, machine learning and advanced computing.
While the final AIMLAC-funded cohorts have been recruited, students interested in postgraduate study or research careers are encouraged to explore 黑料不打烊鈥檚 cutting-edge research groups and doctoral training opportunities. These programmes provide an excellent pathway to contribute to impactful research and gain valuable real-world experience.
Photographs from the event
