We are very pleased that Dr Sandy Brownlee and Dr Leonardo Bezerra, outstanding computer scientists at the University of Stirling will be joining our event as “experts-on-demand” to work with you in our discussions. They will help us sort out fact from fiction and gain insights into what is technologically possible now and in the near future. With expertise in AI, (big) Data, machine learning, the workings of algorithms, and the move towards explainable and responsible AI, Sandy and Leonardo are interested in applied computing directed towards social and real-world issues. Based on your curiosities and concerns, their contributions will support the work we will be doing in the event to explore the larger social, cultural, political, and economic aspects of AI, data, and surveillance in work.
Sandy is leader of the Data Science and Intelligent Systems research group at the University of Stirling and AI theme lead for the Scottish Computing Science & Informatics Alliance, helping to connect and support the AI research community in Scotland. Sandy’s research focuses on approaches to dealing with real-world optimisation problems ptimisation and machine learning, with an emphasis on explainability and decision support. He is also the programme director for the MSc programmes at the University of Stirling in Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, and from 2025, Advanced Computing with AI.
Sandy is the Stirling lead of the Responsible AI UK project, PHAWM: Participatory Harm Auditing Workbenches and Methodologies (awarded £3.5mi), developing auditing workbenches for AI systems that enable society to take part in AI auditing. Leonardo is also a member of this research team, which involves 6 other UK universities and 23 external partners.
Leonardo’s research examines data science and AI and their impact on socially relevant problems, leading to research collaborations with organizations in the public and private sector, including the Brazilian Judicial Branch, Ministry of Education, and Public Safety Secretariats, as well as retail and energy companies. His research has made contributions to policymaking in public health, law (enforcement), and higher education.