I am Sachini Weerawardhana, a Research Associate with the Human-Centred Design (HCD) theme at the University of Bath. I obtained my PhD in Computer Science from Colorado State University, USA. Before joining the AI4CI Hub, I was a research associate with the UKRI Trustworthy Autonomous Systems (TAS) Hub. My research interests are human-agent interaction, trust, automated planning, and Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI).
My PhD research was focused on modelling interventions using automated planning. While at the TAS Hub, I led two multidisciplinary research projects, Leap of Faith and Leap of Faith 2.0, where we investigated designing social robots for instantaneous trust and how to anchor responsible considerations into the research processes and the outputs using RRI. My research has been published in top artificial intelligence venues such as AAAI and ICAPS and RRI venues such as the Journal of Responsible Innovation. While contributing to the academic discourse, I ensured that my research stirred public dialogue through public engagement by participating in events such as the King’s AI Festival in 2023.
Before starting graduate school in the USA, I was a lecturer in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Moratuwa in Sri Lanka. So, I’ve had a long career in academia!
What are you working on?
Currently, I am conducting a systematic review of the literature to identify the domain-specific and cross-cutting patterns in designing smart agents embedding attributes such as trust, security, affordances, explainability, accessibility, and usability. Drawing on the current research landscape in psychology, social sciences, computer science, engineering, and human factors, we hope this study will inform the development of agents that ensure effective human engagement in collective intelligence systems. I am also collaborating with the Environmental Intelligence theme at the AI4CI Hub on a research project to understand the design characteristics that can be manipulated to improve the acceptance of a large language model-based climate information chatbot.
What excites you most about your field of research?
I am most excited by the ongoing dialogue on the trust, safety, and ethical use of artificial intelligence. Interestingly, the dialogue is no longer confined to the technology research communities—the general public is increasingly involved not only in voicing their concerns but also in actively shaping and influencing technological advancements. I think the debate on the “good vs. bad” use of AI can only be correctly understood and resolved when technology creators and consumers collectively define what that means for them. Therefore, continuing this open dialogue is essential for the true democratisation of AI research.
Who has influenced your academic journey the most?
My first PhD advisor, Late Prof. Adele Howe. I was lucky to be her mentee at the start of my PhD, when I was confused about what I wanted to do. Sadly, she passed away 3 years into my PhD after a valiant battle with cancer. Prof. Howe was a renowned figure in the automated planning research community and an amazing human being. She had a motto, “be kinder than necessary”, which I have since made my life’s mission to live by. She was always available, supportive and patient, although many other things were happening in the background, particularly regarding her health. She taught me the value of taking an extra step to support one another, especially for us researchers working in the scientific frontier, which sometimes seems like a very lonely place.
Can you recommend a paper you think we should read?
My paper, Jointly navigating through RRI in practice: lessons from technology design, was co-authored with Dr Menisha Patel (King’s College London) and Prof. Luc Moreau (University of Sussex). Using our own experience as an example, we discuss the dos and don’ts of implementing Responsible Research and Innovation into AI technology design projects. If you are curious about how to embed responsible considerations into the research processes, I invite you to read this paper and also get in touch with me for future collaborations.
What are your ‘Top Tips’ for early career researchers?
My top tip is to find your team – even if the team is just you and one other person. Regardless of the team size, the most important thing is that your team should always inspire you to bring your A-game and vice versa. I think collaborations in research are crucial, not just within your own discipline but also across other disciplines. Although I was trained in computer sciences, being in the Psychology Department at Bath and being exposed to their research have enriched my research experiences in many ways. Therefore, I invite you to take that leap of faith and engage with researchers from other disciplines whenever possible.