We have four postdocs that are each doing truly interdisciplinary AI research. The positions are placed at the intersections of the focus areas. Each postdoc connects two areas and does work that is of interest two multiple disciplines. In this way the postdocs exemplify the idea of transdisciplinary AI that TAIGA aims to stimulate
Burcin Genis-Ergün
Burcin Genis-Ergün (psychology), focus area Embodied Interaction, Human–Computer Interaction and AI.
Her research is situated at the intersection of human–computer interaction, cognitive science, and AI. Her work examines hybrid and extended environments, virtual embodiment, and digital–physical integration, with particular attention to mechanisms of human–machine interaction, feedback processes, and cognition in AI-mediated contexts. She is affiliated with the Interpresence Institute and the Cognitive Science Research Group, where she investigates technological conditions of presence, co-presence, and mediated social interaction. Additionally, she contributes to the Bots and People project, which explores human–AI relational dynamics and the ethical, responsible use of AI in socio-digital transformation.
Dorna Behdadi
Dorna Behdadi (Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies), focus area Social AI / Understanding AI.
Dorna conducts research in philosophy with a focus on (moral) agency and responsibility in human-AI interaction. Their research addresses questions such as when, if ever, moral emotions, like guilt, resentment and gratitude are appropriate toward AI systems, and the ethical implications of anthropomorphic design features (e.g., social cues, humanlike voices) in AI. Dorna is also interested in AI ethics more broadly, philosophy of mind, the philosophy of comparative cognition, animal ethics, and questions pertaining to moral agency and responsibility in other nonstandard cases, such as nonhuman animals and small children.
Michel Rouleau-Dick
Michel Rouleau-Dick (Faculty of Law), focus area CELS AI / AI and Art.
His research takes place at the intersection of law, technology, and digital governance. It raises questions of how sovereignty and legal status can find new expressions in light of new challenges such as the increased presence of AI and climate change. Michel is part of UmArts’ research project on art and AI, which seeks to explore how research in art, design, and architecture can contribute to social and ethical discourses surrounding artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Niclas Hell
Niclas Hell (Umeå School of Business, Economics and Statistics), focus area AI Management / AI for Health and Medicine.
Niclas conducts research on education policy, governance, and institutional change. The current work focuses on education policy recovery discourses after COVID-19 in the United Kingdom, and broader research interests include leadership, policymaking, and organizational learning.
