Upcoming seminars
Browse upcoming events by type. Times are Adelaide local (ACST/ACDT). For past events, see Past seminars.
All upcoming
-
Special session
12 Oct 2026 · 16:00
- Speaker:
- Dr Magnus Liebherr, Carnegie Mellon University
- Date and Time:
- Monday 12 October 2026, 16:00 (Adelaide)
- Title:
- One AI, Many Minds: Why the Same AI Changes Different People Differently
- Location:
- Online (Zoom)
- Abstract:
- Does AI make us smarter or dumber? The question dominates the public debate, but it rests on a hidden assumption, namely that there is one effect for one kind of user. In 1950, the US Air Force measured more than 4,000 pilots and found that not one was average on the ten dimensions its cockpits had been built for. Today, AI tools, policies and training are once again designed for an average user who does not exist. Drawing on four decades of research on humans and automation and on our own studies, including a survey of over 30,000 people in 35 countries, this talk shows why the same AI helps some people and harms others. It looks at what people bring to the interaction, how their use drifts over time without them noticing, and why the same path can end in relief for one person and in dependency or lost skills for another. The talk closes with what this means for everyone who teaches, leads or designs with AI.
- Bio:
- Magnus Liebherr is an engineering psychologist who studies how people think and work with technology. He is Assistant Professor of Psychology at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, leads the Human Factors & Cognition group at the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany, and holds a visiting professorship at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. His research covers human-AI interaction, mental workload, automated driving and the cognitive factors that shape technology use, and he has published more than 100 peer-reviewed papers. He chairs the Engineering Psychology section of the German Psychological Society (DGPs) and is managing director of implicit GmbH, which develops adaptive AI solutions built on a systematic understanding of users' needs.
- Online:
- Join online
-
Candidature review
13 Oct 2026 · 11:00
- Candidate:
- Jingyu Duan
- Supervisor:
- A/Prof Wei Zhang, Dr Xin Yuan
- Date and Time:
- Tuesday 13 October 2026, 11:00 (Adelaide)
- Title:
- Intent-Aware Model Predictive Control for Assistive Robotics
- Abstract:
- Assistive robots need to adjust their motion as task goals change, while respecting physical constraints and limits on online computation. Model predictive control (MPC) can plan motions under these requirements, but its decisions depend on when the control plan is updated, how well the dynamics model represents behaviour near constraints, and how information about the person enters the control process. This research examines these three aspects within an MPC framework. It estimates the expected benefit of re-solving MPC relative to continuing the current plan, and uses this estimate to guide update timing. It also investigates whether supervising a learned dynamics model with constraint-related action corrections can improve control decisions near constraints. In assistive tasks, changes in beliefs about a person’s goal will be used to evaluate whether the remaining plan is still suitable. Together, these investigations aim to improve task performance and constraint handling while making effective use of online computation.
- Location:
- Online (Teams; passcode bj7Jy7Pg)
- Microsoft Teams meeting:
- Join Teams meeting
-
Special session
14 Oct 2026 · Time TBC
- Speaker:
- Dr Min Wang, University of Canberra
- Date and Time:
- Wednesday 14 October 2026, Time TBC (Adelaide)
- Title:
- Trustworthy Human-Centred Multimodal Intelligence: From Neural Signals to Emotion-Aware Interactive Systems
- Location:
- City West, Jeffrey Smart Building, JS6-13 (also Zoom)
- Abstract:
- How can intelligent systems better understand and respond to human states? In this talk, I will share our recent work in brain–computer interfaces, neural signal computing, and multimodal human-state understanding. I will also introduce MERIT, our real-time multimodal emotion recognition system integrating EEG, video, and audio, and discuss its potential for interactive environments, digital health, and human–AI/robot interaction. I hope the talk will also open opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration.
- Bio:
- Dr Min Wang is a Lecturer in Artificial Intelligence at the University of Canberra and Research Lead for Robot Perception within the Collaborative Robotics Lab. Her research focuses on neural signal computing, brain–computer interfaces, privacy-preserving AI and biometrics, and human-centred intelligent sensing and computing. She is an Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Artificial Intelligence and Chair of the IEEE Computational Intelligence Society ACT Chapter.
- Online:
- Join online
-
Special session
20 Oct 2026 · 14:30–15:30
- Speaker:
- Dr Henry Li
- Date and Time:
- Tuesday 20 October 2026, 14:30–15:30 (Adelaide)
- Title:
- Probabilistic & Statistical Machine Learning
- Location:
- AIML Atrium
- Abstract:
- AIML Research Seminar. Format: AIML News, a short introduction by a senior academic, a student/postdoc presentation, Q&A, and afternoon tea. Talk title TBC.
-
Special session
3 Nov 2026 · 14:30–15:30
- Speaker:
- Professor Tat-Jun Chin
- Date and Time:
- Tuesday 3 November 2026, 14:30–15:30 (Adelaide)
- Title:
- AI for Space
- Location:
- AIML Atrium
- Abstract:
- AIML Research Seminar. Format: AIML News, a short introduction by a senior academic, a student/postdoc presentation, Q&A, and afternoon tea. Talk title TBC.
-
Special session
17 Nov 2026 · 14:30–15:30
- Speaker:
- Alex Mundy
- Date and Time:
- Tuesday 17 November 2026, 14:30–15:30 (Adelaide)
- Title:
- Physics Informed Neural Networks
- Location:
- AIML Atrium
- Abstract:
- AIML Research Seminar. Format: AIML News, a short introduction by a senior academic, a student/postdoc presentation, Q&A, and afternoon tea. Talk title TBC.
-
Special session
1 Dec 2026 · 14:30–15:30
- Speaker:
- Prof Simon Lucey
- Date and Time:
- Tuesday 1 December 2026, 14:30–15:30 (Adelaide)
- Title:
- AIML 2026 Year in Review
- Location:
- AIML Atrium
- Abstract:
- AIML Research Seminar — 2026 Year in Review with Prof Simon Lucey, Director.
Candidature review
-
Candidature review
13 Oct 2026 · 11:00
- Candidate:
- Jingyu Duan
- Supervisor:
- A/Prof Wei Zhang, Dr Xin Yuan
- Date and Time:
- Tuesday 13 October 2026, 11:00 (Adelaide)
- Title:
- Intent-Aware Model Predictive Control for Assistive Robotics
- Abstract:
- Assistive robots need to adjust their motion as task goals change, while respecting physical constraints and limits on online computation. Model predictive control (MPC) can plan motions under these requirements, but its decisions depend on when the control plan is updated, how well the dynamics model represents behaviour near constraints, and how information about the person enters the control process. This research examines these three aspects within an MPC framework. It estimates the expected benefit of re-solving MPC relative to continuing the current plan, and uses this estimate to guide update timing. It also investigates whether supervising a learned dynamics model with constraint-related action corrections can improve control decisions near constraints. In assistive tasks, changes in beliefs about a person’s goal will be used to evaluate whether the remaining plan is still suitable. Together, these investigations aim to improve task performance and constraint handling while making effective use of online computation.
- Location:
- Online (Teams; passcode bj7Jy7Pg)
- Microsoft Teams meeting:
- Join Teams meeting
Thesis defence (public seminar)
No seminars in this section.
GRS seminar
View full 2026 GRS series program (table) →
No seminars in this section.
Special session
-
Special session
12 Oct 2026 · 16:00
- Speaker:
- Dr Magnus Liebherr, Carnegie Mellon University
- Date and Time:
- Monday 12 October 2026, 16:00 (Adelaide)
- Title:
- One AI, Many Minds: Why the Same AI Changes Different People Differently
- Location:
- Online (Zoom)
- Abstract:
- Does AI make us smarter or dumber? The question dominates the public debate, but it rests on a hidden assumption, namely that there is one effect for one kind of user. In 1950, the US Air Force measured more than 4,000 pilots and found that not one was average on the ten dimensions its cockpits had been built for. Today, AI tools, policies and training are once again designed for an average user who does not exist. Drawing on four decades of research on humans and automation and on our own studies, including a survey of over 30,000 people in 35 countries, this talk shows why the same AI helps some people and harms others. It looks at what people bring to the interaction, how their use drifts over time without them noticing, and why the same path can end in relief for one person and in dependency or lost skills for another. The talk closes with what this means for everyone who teaches, leads or designs with AI.
- Bio:
- Magnus Liebherr is an engineering psychologist who studies how people think and work with technology. He is Assistant Professor of Psychology at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, leads the Human Factors & Cognition group at the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany, and holds a visiting professorship at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. His research covers human-AI interaction, mental workload, automated driving and the cognitive factors that shape technology use, and he has published more than 100 peer-reviewed papers. He chairs the Engineering Psychology section of the German Psychological Society (DGPs) and is managing director of implicit GmbH, which develops adaptive AI solutions built on a systematic understanding of users' needs.
- Online:
- Join online
-
Special session
14 Oct 2026 · Time TBC
- Speaker:
- Dr Min Wang, University of Canberra
- Date and Time:
- Wednesday 14 October 2026, Time TBC (Adelaide)
- Title:
- Trustworthy Human-Centred Multimodal Intelligence: From Neural Signals to Emotion-Aware Interactive Systems
- Location:
- City West, Jeffrey Smart Building, JS6-13 (also Zoom)
- Abstract:
- How can intelligent systems better understand and respond to human states? In this talk, I will share our recent work in brain–computer interfaces, neural signal computing, and multimodal human-state understanding. I will also introduce MERIT, our real-time multimodal emotion recognition system integrating EEG, video, and audio, and discuss its potential for interactive environments, digital health, and human–AI/robot interaction. I hope the talk will also open opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration.
- Bio:
- Dr Min Wang is a Lecturer in Artificial Intelligence at the University of Canberra and Research Lead for Robot Perception within the Collaborative Robotics Lab. Her research focuses on neural signal computing, brain–computer interfaces, privacy-preserving AI and biometrics, and human-centred intelligent sensing and computing. She is an Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Artificial Intelligence and Chair of the IEEE Computational Intelligence Society ACT Chapter.
- Online:
- Join online
-
Special session
20 Oct 2026 · 14:30–15:30
- Speaker:
- Dr Henry Li
- Date and Time:
- Tuesday 20 October 2026, 14:30–15:30 (Adelaide)
- Title:
- Probabilistic & Statistical Machine Learning
- Location:
- AIML Atrium
- Abstract:
- AIML Research Seminar. Format: AIML News, a short introduction by a senior academic, a student/postdoc presentation, Q&A, and afternoon tea. Talk title TBC.
-
Special session
3 Nov 2026 · 14:30–15:30
- Speaker:
- Professor Tat-Jun Chin
- Date and Time:
- Tuesday 3 November 2026, 14:30–15:30 (Adelaide)
- Title:
- AI for Space
- Location:
- AIML Atrium
- Abstract:
- AIML Research Seminar. Format: AIML News, a short introduction by a senior academic, a student/postdoc presentation, Q&A, and afternoon tea. Talk title TBC.
-
Special session
17 Nov 2026 · 14:30–15:30
- Speaker:
- Alex Mundy
- Date and Time:
- Tuesday 17 November 2026, 14:30–15:30 (Adelaide)
- Title:
- Physics Informed Neural Networks
- Location:
- AIML Atrium
- Abstract:
- AIML Research Seminar. Format: AIML News, a short introduction by a senior academic, a student/postdoc presentation, Q&A, and afternoon tea. Talk title TBC.
-
Special session
1 Dec 2026 · 14:30–15:30
- Speaker:
- Prof Simon Lucey
- Date and Time:
- Tuesday 1 December 2026, 14:30–15:30 (Adelaide)
- Title:
- AIML 2026 Year in Review
- Location:
- AIML Atrium
- Abstract:
- AIML Research Seminar — 2026 Year in Review with Prof Simon Lucey, Director.