'“Sharing insights about artificial intelligence for our community”

UPCOMING

Research and Knowledge Exchange Development Workshops [Online]

Across March, we have a series of ONLINE events on AI, open to university colleagues and college edcuators in Greater Manchester. The External sign up pages are below. Please feel welcome to join, if you’d like to know more and take part in these sessions.

Discussing the Impact of AI in Research: Possibilities and Challenges (25th March 10am-12pm)

Session Outline

Join us online for an engaging panel discussion on the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the realm of research. This event will explore the vast possibilities AI offers for advancing scientific inquiry and discovery, as well as the significant challenges it presents.

Chair - Prof Andy Miah -Chair of Science Communication & Future Media, at the University of Salford,

• Prof Keeley A Crockett -Professor in Computational Intelligence, Lead Data and AI Ethics Group / Lead Machine Intelligence Group at Manchester Metropolitan.

• Dr Rupert Lorraine, Director of The Bridge, Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business at the University of Plymouth

• Rachael Gibson – Univeristy of Salford-  Research Governance & Policy Manager

• Dr Taha Mansouri - University of Salford, Lecturer in Artificial Intelligence

Research GenAI (25th March 2-3pm)

Session Outline

In this session, Alex (Research, Design and User Experience Lead, University of Salford) will highlight how to integrate GenAI into your role as a researcher to streamline routine tasks, which will include transforming scattered notes into structured reports, developing research plans, and formulating delivery strategies. Automating these processes, will provide researchers with more time to uncover the nuanced insights that truly drive innovation.

Facilitator

Alexander Leonard -Research, Design and User Experience Lead / Digital IT – Digital Strategy

How to Use Gen AI: A Beginner’s Workshop for Researchers (26th March at 10:30-12:30pm OR 1st April at 10:30-12:30pm)

Session Outline

This two-hour online workshop will explore what Gen AI tools exist that are helpful for researchers and how we can use them to optimise research processes. It is a workshop for Gen AI beginners, not Gen AI experts. We will explore a range of mainstream Gen AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Claude, Co-Pilot) and research specific ones (e.g. SciSpace, Research Rabbit, Elicit) and examine how they work through hands-on tasks. By the end of the workshop, you will feel confident in what Gen AI can do (and what it can’t!), how to prompt engineer for research tasks, and the ethics of using Gen AI as a researcher.

Facilitator

Naomi Tyrrell

Based on 20 years of research and evaluation experience in academic, commercial and public sectors, Dr Naomi Tyrrell founded Research Your Way to offer bespoke research and evaluation services to charities, social enterprises and businesses. Naomi has led research projects funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, European Commission, British Academy, Leverhulme Trust, University of Plymouth, charitable trusts and the National Lottery. She is currently a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Plymouth. Naomi has taught qualitative and quantitative research methods in universities in the UK and Ireland for (almost) two decades. She has supervised MA, MSc and PhD student projects using many different research methods. 

OR

Navigating the AI Landscape for Research and KE Professionals (26th March 1:00-2:30pm)

Course Outline

As AI continues to evolve, it offers transformative opportunities for universities to streamline operations, enhance decision-making, and drive innovation - enabling staff to focus on more strategic and impactful work.

Designed specifically for Research Management and Administration professionals at the University of Salford, this session will explore how AI can improve workflows and support strategic goals across diverse research and KE activities.

Throughout this session, we will:

• Demystify AI: Break down the fundamentals of AI, how it works, and how it can be applied to your work in research management, administration, and KE.

• Hands-on Exploration: Provide practical demonstrations of AI tools that can be directly applied to improve your day-to-day tasks, such as automating repetitive work, enhancing productivity, and extracting insights from large datasets.

• Ethical and Practical Considerations: Discuss the potential benefits and risks associated with AI, focusing on responsible use, data privacy, and how to integrate these technologies into your professional standards.

By the end of the workshop, participants will:

1. Understand the Fundamentals of AI
   Gain a clear understanding of what AI is, how it works, and its potential to transform university operations across various professional services roles.

2. Apply AI Tools to Relevant Challenges
   Learn to use AI tools to address specific challenges within their roles, including improving workflows, enhancing engagement, and analysing complex data.

3. Recognise Ethical and Practical Considerations
   Understand the ethical implications and risks associated with AI, including data privacy, and learn how to responsibly integrate AI into their work.

4. Build Confidence in Using AI
   Gain hands-on experience with AI tools, and the confidence to experiment and integrate AI into daily tasks.

   5.Establish a Foundation for Ongoing AI Integration
      Leave with a clear framework for continuous experimentation and AI integration, supported by resources and post-workshop guidance.

Facilitator

Rupert Lorraine

Director of The Bridge, Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business at the University of Plymouth.

Responsible for leading the combination of The Arts Institute and its cultural programme, The Bridge and the Faculty’s Research and Creative Industries Unit into one, dynamic new entity; helping to deliver the Faculty’s vision of enabling people and places to thrive, and mission to work in partnership to drive social, cultural, educational, and economic prosperity.

As an enthusiastic advocate for Artificial Intelligence and its transformative potential across fields as diverse as education, business and society, Rupert has published articles and delivered keynote presentations, webinars and workshops on the use of AI for organisations, students and networks. He has also initiated a series of Lunchtime Learning sessions on Responsible AI, aimed at educating Faculty staff about AI's potential, ethical considerations, and practical integration into academic disciplines.

Using AI in research data and publications: ethical and responsible Practices (27th March 11-12pm)

Course Outline

AI can be a valuable asset throughout the research process, but you may have concerns about how it can be used ethically and responsibly. Join the Library’s Open Research team as they guide you through the opportunities and challenges that AI presents for research data management, copyright and publishing.

Facilitator

Wendy Taylor - Open Research Coordinator (Publishing)

Jack Brook -Open Research Coordinator (RDM)

PREVIOUS EVENTS

ABOUT THE CLUB

“Considering the rapid advancements in AI, particularly in generative AI, and the immediate changes brought about by initiatives like the UK Government's AI Opportunities Action Plan, the AI Club at the University of Salford was launched in July 2024. Initially created as a platform for students to share their experiences with AI, the club has quickly evolved into a vibrant community open to anyone with a shared passion for AI. After hosting successful events, the AI Club has become a space where people from diverse backgrounds, including students, faculty, and industry professionals, come together to exchange ideas, insights, and experiences. Our discussions go beyond technical trends, delving into the broader impact of AI on areas like higher education, healthcare, poverty reduction, and social good. The club welcomes anyone enthusiastic about AI, whether they’re looking to learn, contribute, or simply engage in meaningful conversations. By fostering a community-driven approach, the AI Club is playing a key role in democratizing AI knowledge, making our efforts at the University of Salford both impactful and sustainable. We look forward to growing this community and exploring the endless possibilities AI has to offer!"

Taha Mansouri, PhD, PGCert, FHEA
School of Science, Engineering and Environment