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technomoralfutures.bsky.social
Centre for Technomoral Futures
@technomoralfutures.bsky.social
1.7K followers 110 following 110 posts
Part of the University of Edinburgh’s Futures Institute, our work aims to unify technical and moral knowledge to serve the goals of sustainable, just & ethical innovation.

Find us here: https://www.technomoralfutures.uk/
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technomoralfutures.bsky.social
Thanks to all who came out for our CTMF Flagship Lecture with Prof @jpsullins.bsky.social earlier this semester!

In 'Wisdom for an Artificial Age' he explored the evolution of technology's role in shaping morality & wisdom in an increasingly automated world.

Watch the recording: edin.ac/4pESnix
Professors Shannon Vallor and John P Sullins stood outside of the event venue, in front of a banner for the Centre for Technomoral Futures. Professor John P Sullins, stood behind a lectern with his computer. He is wearing a checked shirt under a black jumper and black jacket. Attendees speaking with Professor Sullins during the reception following his lecture.
October 31, 2025 at 2:00 PM
technomoralfutures.bsky.social
Scientists in nearly every field are reaching for new powerful machine learning & AI methods to see if AI has been the missing piece to solve longstanding problems & make new discoveries. Not only has AI started to change how science is done, but also how science is taught, organized & credited.
Blue to green gradient graphic with headshots of the speakers for the Technomoral Conversations event, and text reading: Technomoral Conversations, How Will AI Change Science? Join us on 4 November at 6pm in Edinburgh & online, where we will hear from: Emily Sullivan (University of Edinburgh), Eran Tal (McGill University), Arfon Smith (Schmidt Sciences), and Anna Scaife (University of Manchester).
October 16, 2025 at 2:26 PM
technomoralfutures.bsky.social
Join us for our CTMF Flagship Lecture, where we will hear from Professor @jpsullins.bsky.social on the surprising role human wisdom is playing to help us navigate the challenges of AI technologies and create a more humane future.

🗓️ 15 October 18.00 - 19.30 BST
📍 EFI & online
🎟️ edin.ac/3Kl8em6
Event image for our Flagship Lecture. There is headshot photo of Professor Sullins, and text reading: 'Wisdom for an Artificial Age,' Professor John P. Sullins III (Sonoma State University). Location: Edinburgh Futures Institute (in person & online), Date: Wednesday 15 October 6.00 - 7.30pm BST, There will be a reception following the lecture.
September 24, 2025 at 12:29 PM
technomoralfutures.bsky.social
Last week, we celebrated five years of incredible research at the Centre for Technomoral Futures with our PhD Showcase!

The afternoon was a celebration of our PhD Fellow's hard work, as well as a testament to the fantastic research community we have fostered at the CTMF.

@shannonvallor.bsky.social
Professor Shannon Vallor introducing Meenakshi Mani at the CTMF PhD Showcase. Meenakshi's title slide is up on the projector screens and reads: The trifecta of colonial "isms": AI, Big Tech & Indian education CTMF PhD Fellows are stood next to their research posters at the CTMF PhD Showcase. They are speaking with event attendees about their research.
June 13, 2025 at 3:05 PM
technomoralfutures.bsky.social
Six PhD Journeys. One incredible community.

Recap our 'Futures in Focus' series and meet our PhD Fellows working at the intersection of ethics and technology!

Read their stories ▶️ edin.ac/44t6iQG

@shannonvallor.bsky.social @edfuturesinstitute.bsky.social @edinburgh-uni.bsky.social
Blue to green gradient graphic, with headshot photos of Iñaki Goñi, Jamie Webb, Claire Barale, Meenakshi Mani, Elisa Cardamone, and Joe Noteboom. Image includes the caption 'Technomoral Futures in Focus' which is the title of the campaign celebrating the success of our students.
June 12, 2025 at 3:09 PM
technomoralfutures.bsky.social
Beyond what generative AI is in itself as a technology, what does this technology say about us? How is generative AI an example of us losing our faith in ourselves, and what can we do about it?

Hear CTMF PhD Fellow Andrew Zelny’s thoughts on these questions in our latest blog post ▶️ edin.ac/3Fdp6sM
There is a green to blue gradient background, with a headshot photo of Andrew. Text reads: 'Losing Faith in Ourselves: On Why we Create, Andrew Zelny, PhD Fellow. Centre for Technomoral Futures Blog'
May 15, 2025 at 11:51 AM
technomoralfutures.bsky.social
Join us as we hear from EFI Visiting Fellow Dr Audrey Borowski (Universities of Bonn and Cambridge) on how data—as it is constantly redeployed and fed back—has come to produce meaning, occupy our life-worlds, and shape reality.

📍 EFI & online
📅Tues 20 May 5.00-6.15pm BST
🎟️ Tickets ▶️ edin.ac/4m4Etoe
Event image with a blue to green gradient background and a headshot photo of Dr Audrey Borowski. Text reads: Beyond the 'absolutism of data': Rethinking digital life-worlds. Dr Audrey Borowski, Universities of Bonn and Cambridge. Location: Edinburgh Futures Institute & online. Tuesday 20th May, 5.00pm - 6.15pm BST. Centre for Technomoral Futures.
May 8, 2025 at 3:58 PM
technomoralfutures.bsky.social
“Language plays an important role in enhancing the quality of current AI systems. It is essential for many applications, such as helping people navigate legal processes & providing instructions to LLMs.”

Read about @clairebarale.bsky.social's PhD journey in legal reasoning & NLP ▶ edin.ac/4jDgriv
Blue to green gradient graphic, with a headshot photo of Claire Barale. She has long brown hair and is smiling. There is text overlaid: Claire Barale, PhD Fellow, Exploring legal reasoning and NLP with a focus on designing NLP-based tools to enhance the transparency, efficiency and quality of legal workflows. The image is part of our 'Technomoral Futures in Focus' campaign celebrating the success of our students.
May 1, 2025 at 11:48 AM
technomoralfutures.bsky.social
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Technomoral Conversation on AI & Creative Labour earlier this month, run in collaboration with @edfuturesinstitute.bsky.social & @braiduk.bsky.social!

In case you missed it, you can watch the recording here ▶️ edin.ac/4iCoWZT

📸 @chrisdonia.bsky.social
Caroline Sinders, Paula Westenberger, Richard Combes, and Shannon Vallor are sat on stage and smiling during our Technomoral Conversations event at the Edinburgh Futures Institute.
April 30, 2025 at 10:27 AM
technomoralfutures.bsky.social
Can machines be taught to understand right from wrong? Should we build AI that can navigate complex ethical dilemmas, or is morality an inherently human trait that technology can never truly grasp?

Yuxin Liu explores these questions in the latest CTMF blog post, ‘Can AI be moral?’ ▶️ edin.ac/4icaeZ9
There is a green to blue gradient background, with a headshot photo of Yuxin. Text reads: 'Can AI be moral? The quest for moral machines and what it means for human morality, Yuxin Liu, PhD Fellow. Centre for Technomoral Futures Blog.'
April 15, 2025 at 10:44 AM
technomoralfutures.bsky.social
Understanding the intersection of technology & citizen participation is more than an academic pursuit for Iñaki, it’s a lived experience. His journey into this field was shaped by hands-on involvement in large-scale participatory processes in Chile.

Read about Iñaki’s PhD journey ▶️ edin.ac/4cemGGn
Blue to green gradient graphic, with a headshot photo of Iñaki Goñi. He is outside on a sunny day, in front of trees, wearing a white shirt and beige jacket. There is text overlayed: Iñaki Goñi, PhD Fellow, Shedding light on the complexities of civic engagement in the digital age and creating meaningful change in real-world settings. The image is part of our 'Technomoral Futures in Focus' campaign celebrating the success of our students.
April 3, 2025 at 10:48 AM
technomoralfutures.bsky.social
Just over a week until our Technomoral Conversation on AI & Creative Labour!

We’ll be looking at issues ranging from the AI industry’s copyright violations, responses from creatives, and the wider ethical & political questions about the role of AI in creative practice and culture ▶️ edin.ac/3WJhuUH
Blue to green gradient graphic with headshots of the speakers for the Technomoral Conversations event, and text reading: Technomoral Conversations, AI and Creative Labour. Join us on 10 April at 6pm in Edinburgh & online, where we will hear from: Shannon Vallor (University of Edinburgh), Caroline Sinders (University of Arts London, CoRD Labs), Paula Westenberger (Brunel University London), and Richard Combes (The Authors' Licensing & Collecting Society).
April 1, 2025 at 12:43 PM
technomoralfutures.bsky.social
Join us on 10 April at 18.00 in Edinburgh & online for our Technomoral Conversation on AI & Creative Labour!

This free event is part of the @edfuturesinstitute.bsky.social Making Waves Event Season, and is run in collaboration with @braiduk.bsky.social!

Tickets & more info ▶️ edin.ac/3WJhuUH
Event graphic includes the University of Edinburgh’s Futures Institute’s logo and text reading: Technomoral Conversations: AI & Creative Labour. 10 April 2025, 6pm – 7.30pm, Edinburgh Futures Institute & livestreaming. Making Waves Event Season. Alongside this text, the graphic includes a collage that merges circuit board patterns with textile motifs in a grid-like background of alternating black, grey, and white. Two hand-drawn arms are on each side of the image, positioned as if gently pulling on thin, white strings that cross the image diagonally.
March 24, 2025 at 3:50 PM
technomoralfutures.bsky.social
“The more I learned about the tapestry of histories, cultures, contexts, infrastructures, politics, and economics that shape public education, the more I realized how ill-suited cultures of tech were to the field.”

Read @meenakshimani.bsky.social's reflections on her PhD journey ▶️ edin.ac/41xdOH7
Blue to green gradient graphic, with a headshot photo of Meenakshi Mani. She has long, wavy, dark brown hair, is wearing a black top with a white jacket, and is smiling. There is text overlayed: Meenakshi Mani, PhD Fellow, How tech spaces and the abstractions they foster influence and shape the very domains technologies claim to benefit, particularly education. The image is part of our 'Technomoral Futures in Focus' campaign celebrating the success of our students.
March 20, 2025 at 1:42 PM
technomoralfutures.bsky.social
📢 Closing this week! 📢
Supervised by @zeerak.bsky.social and starting Sept 2025, the project will examine the ethical implications of natural language processing.

Apply now ▶️ edin.ac/40PAXEq
Green to blue gradient image with text reading: 'PhD Studentship: Examining the ethical implications of natural language processing. Supervised by Dr Zeerak Talat, this project will consider how NLP and machine learning are currently falling short in engaging with ethical development practices and examine how such practices can be improved for the benefit of end-users and society more broadly. Application Deadline: 15 March 2025
March 11, 2025 at 12:40 PM
technomoralfutures.bsky.social
How can digital platforms support – or hinder – self-care in later life?

Elisa's research explores how platformisation shapes ageing & healthcare, using co-creation to design better digital health solutions.

Read her reflections & how her own experiences impacted her PhD journey ▶️ edin.ac/4hZsohr
Blue to green gradient graphic, with a headshot photo of Elisa Cardamone. She has long brown hair and is stood outside in the sunshine. She is wearing a brown jacket, and is in front of trees with autumnal red leaves. There is text overlayed: 'Elisa Cardamone, PhD Fellow. Designing more useful and inclusive products and services for later life, to contribute towards a more sustainable future and fairer society.' The image is part of our 'Technomoral Futures in Focus' campaign celebrating the success of our students.
March 6, 2025 at 11:58 AM
technomoralfutures.bsky.social
Earlier this month, we visited the University’s Easter Bush campus for a thought-provoking workshop on how data ethics applies across their key themes of Sustainable Agriculture, Infectious Diseases and Enhancing Health.

Read our blog post about the experience and key takeaways! ▶️ edin.ac/4hUL3Lh
Image has text that reads, 'Exploring Data Ethics at Easter Bush: A Cross-Disciplinary Workshop. Centre for Technomoral Futures Blog.' There is a green to blue gradient background, with headshot photos of Dr Zeerak Talat (Chancellor's Fellow), Dr Fabio Tollon (Postdoctoral Researcher), and Emma Caldwell (Centre Manager).
February 27, 2025 at 2:24 PM
technomoralfutures.bsky.social
How should we decide who gets priority for life-saving treatment when resources are limited?

Jamie's PhD explored whether machine learning models should influence these high-stakes decisions.

Read CTMF PhD Fellow @jamiedwebb.bsky.social's reflections on his PhD journey ▶️ edin.ac/4gOQABZ
Blue to green gradient graphic, with a headshot photo of Jamie Webb. He has short brown hair, is wearing a dark blue shirt, and is smiling at the camera. There is text overlayed: 'Jamie Webb, PhD Fellow. When faced with limited healthcare resources, how should decisions be made about who receives treatment first?' The image is part of our 'Technomoral Futures in Focus' campaign celebrating the success of our students.
February 20, 2025 at 12:06 PM
technomoralfutures.bsky.social
Applications are open for 2025 entry to our MSc in Data & AI Ethics! Graduates of this program will help their future employers navigate complex new technical systems & roles with transparency, accountability, fairness, justice & respect for individual & human rights.

Info & Apply ▶️ edin.ac/3QmJHNx
Photo of fusion learning by Whitedog Photography: students are sat around a table with screens showing more students joining class virtually.
February 19, 2025 at 11:42 AM
technomoralfutures.bsky.social
Recently, one of our Senior Research Affiliates, Professor @burkhardschafer.bsky.social led a session with a group of pupils at Balerno High School exploring the intersection of robotics, AI & ethics.

Read about his thoughts & learnings from the experience in our latest blog post! ▶️ edin.ac/3WzFnh5
There is a green to blue gradient background, with a photo of Professor Schafer speaking in a high school classroom. Text reads: 'Inspiring the next generation: Exploring robotics, AI & ethics with high school students,' Professor Burkhard Schafer, Senior Research Affiliate. Centre for Technomoral Futures Blog'
February 13, 2025 at 12:19 PM
technomoralfutures.bsky.social
We are excited to announce a new, funded PhD studentship opportunity, alongside the School of Informatics @edinburgh-uni.bsky.social!

Supervised by @zeerak.bsky.social and starting Sept 2025, the project will examine the ethical implications of natural language processing.

Apply ▶️ edin.ac/40PAXEq
Green to blue gradient image with the CTMF logo and text reading: PhD Studentship: Examining the ethical implications of natural language processing. Applications are open for this funded PhD Studentship, to being in September 2026. Supervisor: Dr Zee Talat. Application Deadline: 15 March 2025. More info: edin.ac/40PAXEq Text reads: Given the increased uptake in the use and proliferation of NLP technologies, questions surrounding the ethical and responsible development of such tools are of greater urgency. This project will consider how NLP and machine learning are currently falling short in engaging with ethical development practices and examine how such practices can be improved for the benefit of end-users and society more broadly.
February 11, 2025 at 11:32 AM
technomoralfutures.bsky.social
'Digital tech is often presented as a solution to challenges facing universities. Its use interacts w/ political & economic pressures on universities & students in ways that are sometimes problematic'

Read @joenote.bsky.social's reflections on his CTMF PhD journey & future plans ▶️ edin.ac/4gnRvsV
Blue to green gradient graphic, with a headshot photo of Joe Noteboom. He has short brown hair, is wearing a dark blue shirt, and is smiling at the camera. There is text overlayed: Joe Notebom, PhD Fellow, paving the way for more ethical approaches to technology in higher education. The image is part of our 'Technomoral Futures in Focus' campaign celebrating the success of our students.
February 6, 2025 at 12:05 PM
technomoralfutures.bsky.social
We've published our 2023-24 Annual Report!

It was a year of extraordinary activity for the CTMF, with an array of events, seminars & research that continued to shape our mission to unify technical & moral knowledge for sustainable, just & ethical innovation.

Read the report here ▶️ edin.ac/3CrNYfa
Image with a background of blue to green gradient bubbles. Text reads: 'Centre for Technomoral Futures 2023-2024 Annual Report' as well as logos for the Centre for Technomoral Futures at the University of Edinburgh's Futures Institute.
January 31, 2025 at 10:55 AM
technomoralfutures.bsky.social
Thanks to all who attended Dr Tanweer's lecture & asked such excellent questions!

Dr Tanweer shared insights on what is needed to structure ethical data practices including:
1) timeline that accommodates good work
2) theoretical & methodological cross-pollination
3) alternative incentives & rewards
Prof Shannon Vallor and Dr Anissa Tanweer at the University of Edinburgh’s Futures Institute, smiling and posing in front of a title slide for Dr Tanweer's talk saying ‘Good doesn’t come cheap or fast: Understanding data ethics as situated practice’ Image from the audience perspective during Dr Anissa Tanweer's talk.
January 30, 2025 at 11:13 AM
technomoralfutures.bsky.social
We've just sent out our January newsletter, which you can read here:
➡️ edin.ac/4h23dKD

This month's newsletter includes upcoming events, research news, scholarship opportunities, postdoc vacancies & more!

Don't want to miss out on future newsletters? Join our mailing list here:
➡️ edin.ac/3LdBmJ6
Artist rendition of the Old Royal Infirmary building, overlayed with text reading: Centre for Technomoral Futures Newsletter January 2025
January 20, 2025 at 3:44 PM