Research Themes
We have envisioned a wide range of potential projects for the 2025 program which align with three high-level research themes. All of these research areas will be supported by our program mentors, reinforced through a range of professional development activities and technical support.
These projects are currently in progress, and additional projects aligned with the three key program themes listed below may also be available.
Fake News!
Lauren Scott
Spread of mis- and dis-information in family groups; connected with online harms bill (UK). Ofcom responsible for regulation on social media platforms.
AI Literacy and Misinformation
Lauren Scott, Reem Talhouk, and Kyle Montague
Generative AI with refugee and migrant communities. Working with Action Foundation to work with refugees in the United Kingdom, including children that have not been able to enroll in schools. How can we build AI competencies in ways that also impact the spread of misinformation?
Tackling Inequalities
Anna Carter
Working with the Northeast Combined Authority to map and understand inequalities in the Northeast. Using narrative approaches to impact social mobility and healthcare. How can we engage in a participatory process to help with the definition of inequality and how to form sustained interactions with these communities?
Law Enforcement and Probable (AI) Futures
Kyle Montague
Building upon a mapping of legal systems and current uses of AI data-driven decision technologies to explore concerns and new data visualizations to talk about outcomes of these systems + understand and evaluate risk. How might we design speculative futures for use of these tools in legal proceedings?
Research Themes
We will focus in projects across three broad themes in the 2025 program year.
THEME 1
Communities, Democracy, and Society
Potential projects will pioneer innovative AI methodologies to enhance civic engagement and public participation in local governance. Projects may include:
- Designing AI-driven programs to match citizens with services from local councils, enhancing the efficiency and reach of public service delivery.
- Developing AI-enabled processes to increase public engagement in local government decision-making, such as by advertising such access to citizens most affected by a policy change or by using AI to simplify complex issues for broader comprehension.
- Utilizing Digital Civics approaches to design AI-powered dashboards for disseminating local public health data, balancing granularity with privacy concerns.
THEME 2
AI, Design, and Co-Creation:
Students working within this theme will focus on the role of AI as a collaborative actor in design processes. Projects may include:
- Developing frameworks for how AI tools could be used by citizens to co-create new policy proposals for local governance that align with their values.
- Analyzing the impact that AI tools used as design partners will have on the future workplaces of design agencies that rely upon these tools.
- Proposing speculative futures and critical design alternatives for how communities adjust to the ubiquity of AI tools and AI-embedded processes.
THEME 3
Identity, Privacy, Security, and Mis(dis)information
In this theme, students will tackle the complex role of AI in online environments. Projects may include:
- Documenting design strategies for AI personalization that respect user privacy, navigating the delicate balance between customization and confidentiality.
- Developing detection and response frameworks for AI-enabled spread of misinformation and disinformation, with a focus on community impact and remediation.
- Proposing solutions to counteract biases in AI systems, emphasizing the need for varied datasets to represent diverse identities.
Northumbria University Mentors
You will work with a core group of mentors at Northumbria, including the three below. Based on the actual projects we run in 2025, we will add additional mentors representing multiple disciplinary perspectives.
Kyle Montague
Associate Professor, Human-Computer Interaction
Expertise: accessibility, participatory platforms, AI democratization, inclusive design
Pam Briggs
Professor, Psychology
Expertise: usable privacy and security, digital health, aging, cyber-psychology
Reem Talhouk
Associate Professor, Design
Expertise: participatory design, marginalized communities, AI literacy
Program Resources
As part of the program, you will have access to extensive research training and technical expertise to enable you to engage in the socio-technical complexity of each project.
Mentorship and Training
- Professional Development
- A series of professional development workshops will cover topics like AI tools, human-centered design, academic writing, and career development in computing.
- You will be paired with a research mentor from Northumbria University, who will guide you throughout the program and provide valuable research and career insights.
- Collaborative and Cultural Learning
- The program includes at least 18 hours of cultural immersion, with visits to historic and cultural landmarks such as Durham Cathedral, Alnwick Castle, and Hadrian’s Wall.
- You will collaborate with students from the U.S., U.K., Germany, and Portugal, culminating in participation in the annual Digital Civics Exchange (DCX) event.
- Continuous Support
- A dedicated Slack workspace will be available for all participants, mentors, and faculty, allowing you to stay connected, collaborate on projects, and build a professional network.
Technical Resources
- You will have access to state-of-the-art research facilities, including cyber labs, games labs, VR spaces, and 3D printing labs.
- Technical equipment, such as laptops, smartphones, wearable devices, and more, will be made available to support your research projects.
- Two dedicated software engineers will assist you with technical aspects of your projects, from prototype development to deployment.
The Northumbria team has a long track record of success in digital civics and community-engaged work.
