Collaboration for Good: An Inclusive AI Lab PhD Led Event

Hosted by Governing the Digital Society

Venue: Kromme Nieuwegracht 20, room T.0.05 (Kromme Nieuwegracht 203512 HH Utrecht) with parallel mini-workshops across the Utrecht University City Centre Campus

Organised by Weijie Huang, Siddhi Gupta, and Kirthi Jayakumar, from the Inclusive AI Lab PhD team

This PhD Led event is designed to build a community of young scholars committed to doing academia differently—treating societal engagement not as an add-on, but as a methodological tool, a hope-oriented mindset, and a way of being part of the solution to the formidable challenges shaping our world today. Centered on the theme “Collaboration for Good,” this edition equips PhD candidates, RMA students, and early-career researchers with the tools to translate academic research into meaningful societal engagement by placing cross-cultural and cross-sectoral approaches at the heart of disciplinary thinking and practice. The program explores how researchers can effectively collaborate with policymakers, industry leaders, civil society organizations, and communities affected by AI systems, supporting a shift from critique to collaboration while developing concrete strategies to assess the social, cultural, and ethical implications of their work. The PhD Day features a cross-sector roundtable on creating impact with research, a networking poster session, and parallel mini-workshops offering practical guidance on collaboration, impact, and engaged scholarship.

Participants: PhD candidates, RMA students, and early-career scholars in the social sciences and humanities

Programme

09:30-10:00: Walk in and registration

10:00-10:15: Welcome note: Prof. Payal Arora, Professor of Inclusive AI Cultures and Inclusive AI Lab Founder

10:15-11:15: Plenary Panel: Beyond the Ivory Tower: How to be Architects of Public Impact

This panel brings together scholar-practitioners working at the frontlines of digital innovations and law, humanitarian response, and global policy to show how rigorous research can move institutions, not just academia. 

Moderated by Prof. Payal Arora, Professor of Inclusive AI Cultures and Inclusive AI Lab Founder

Dr. Ron Guerrier, Chief Technology Officer Save the Children, Former Illinois Secretary of Innovation, CIO Hall of Fame Inductee, USC Doctoral Candidate (USA) 

Dr. Guanqin He, AI & Work Researcher at the Inclusive AI Lab; Postdoctoral Researcher, Geneva Graduate Institute (Switzerland)

Sara Emami, Experience lead at Philips, Designer and Creative Influencer (NL)

Jorge D’Garay Juncal, Director at the International Affairs Bureau & Advisor to the Acting Chairman of the Board, Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones (Mexico)

11:15-12:30 Making impact: networking poster session + Lunch

During this networking poster session, a selection of PhD candidates and early career scholars will have the opportunity to share research that is oriented towards making an impact on society. The session is designed as an open networking space to share work, exchange ideas, and connect with others interested in moving from critique to collaboration. 

See our call for posters for deadlines and additional information on submitting a poster.

12:45-14:15: Parallel mini-workshops

The parallel mini-workshops aim to provide participants with the opportunity to present their work to peers and experts, or to experiment with innovative methods. Participants can indicate their top two workshop preferences in the registration form.

14:30-15:00: Wrapping up: sharing insights from each workshop

15:00-15:30: Wrapping up: sharing insights from each workshop