Solutions for empowering underprivileged groups NameAreas of researchDescriptionBenjamin Bachdata visualizationdata sciencepublic engagementWorking on data visualization and making data accessible and understandable by experts and non-experts. Data visualization is essential in understanding complex processes and data sets. Especially, techniques from storytelling and visual communication have huge potential to communicate findings and information to large and diverse audiences.Liz Baggsclimate smart technologiesagritechnologyenvironmental changeDevelopment of mitigation strategies for greenhouse gas emissions from agri-environment systems. This includes international partnerships, and with non-academic stakeholders, to enhance a circular nutrient economy that lowers reliance on inorganic fertilisers in smallholder farming systems. Melissa Bedingersocial sciences & policyhuman factorsresilienceInterdisciplinary work in human factors, systems approaches, cascading climate impacts, and sustainable development and global health. Currently using sociotechnical systems approach in neighbourhoods or cities, to understand climate impact scenarios, model possible interventions, and inform resilience planning.Raffaella Calabresefintechcredit riskclimate changeFocus on incorporating climate change in the risk assessment process of financial institutions. Working with several Fintech companies in designing new services for financially vulnerable individuals. Also supporting small businesses in improving their chance of accessing external finance.Zexun ChenAIsocial sciences & policy environmental adaptationInterested in data‑driven sustainable urban planning and transportation design, including AI methodologies to spread opportunities and develop sustainable public services to end geographical inequality through advanced data‑driven urban planning and transportation design equipped with ethical awareness. Also interested in methodology development of science for sustainability in finance.Christine Coopergreen washingpolicy makingabuses of powerInterested in accounting technologies and how these strongly impact upon the majority of decisions made in organisations and government.Maria Grazia De Angelisenvironmental protectionbiomedical applicationsclean energysustainable materialsMembranes for greenhouse gas emission reduction, sustainable materials for packaging and other applications, and development of low water, accessible and inclusive hemodialysis processes.Simone Dimartinobioprocessingadsorption technologiesadditive manufacturingBroadly interested in adsorption technologies for applications ranging from manufacture of new healthcare products and foodstuff to CO2 capture.Victor Elviradata sciencestatistical modelingsignal processingMathematical modeling and inference are essential to deal with data-driven applications for sustainable policies/solutions.Debora GottardelloAItechnological advancementsdiversity inclusionpowerHRResearch related to the future of work and HR. How organizations and HR department can empower innovation with the right diversity & inclusion, new edge leadership and inspiring culture within workforces. Understand the way in which HR can support ecosystems that consist of more community-driven learning and enforcing social capital along with human capital.Alex Hutchisondata & AI for goodclimate changeresponsible innovationThe Data for Children Collaborative with UNICEF is a joint partnership between UNICEF, The Scottish Government and the University of Edinburgh’s Data Driven Innovation Programme which seeks to enable improvement in outcomes for every child. We draw on the strengths of our partners and their network to bring insight and solve problems using data and responsible innovative data practices, with a focus on delivering against the Sustainable Development Goals. Our mission is to provide the platform that brings together the appropriate data and expertise to answer our challenge questions for children across a variety of themes and geographies.Susan Jarvis sustainable Food systemsagritechanimal welfare science Interested in Sustainable Food Systems, and in particular the role of animal welfare science to ensure sustainable and socially acceptable food production systems. Leads the delivery of UG programmes and courses in Global Agriculture and Food Security, as well as the DDI Agritech Talent programme aimed at upskilling learners in data science and technology relevant to sustainable food systems. Ohad KammarAIprogramming languagesInterested in higher-level abstractions for statistical modelling and their analysis engines. A key aim is to make the models higher-level so it is easier to understand what it is doing and its biases, and lowering the entry-bar into the modelling activity.Marc Krautzbergerrenewable energytechnological solutions to manage the nexus between climate change and povertysocial science and policyInterested in how policymakers and firms manage competing demands (e.g. economic vs. environmental goals) in the process of developing and providing technological solutions in response to societal challenges.Michela Massimirenewable energyscience policyFocus on methodological/conceptual problems concerning the use of scientific models for projections (in high-energy physics, nuclear physics as well as in climate science), the cross-section between science policy and modelling, and epistemic injustices concerning science.Dominic Moranenvironmental, agricultural and food systems economicsInterested in definitions and metrics of sustainability, economic appraisal of technological options using non-market valuation, and behavioral and political appraisal of technology adoption. Adrian Muwonge digital health and agrictechDevelop tools to support Agriculture and Public health in LMICsAndroniki Papathanasirenewable energynet zero buildingseradication of fuel poverty Interested in domestic energy consumption patterns and socio-technical sustainable low-carbon energy solutions to carbons Scotland's building sector and eradicate fuel poverty by 2045.Paul PatrasAImobile networkingInterested in building neural models that aid the management of resources in mobile networks, with a view to reducing their carbon footprint.Alexandra Pricerenewable energyregenerative economy.Work in renewable energy - designing tools to help researchers design control policies to make a step change in the viability of wave energy. Also interested in decarbonisation, including clean heat, co-housing, and regenerative economics. Björn RossAIsocial sciences & policyInterested in responsible use of the technologies and resilience to nefarious uses. Particular focus in people's interactions with one another over technology and people's interactions with technology, using computational methods. This includes, for example, the automatic flagging of abusive social media content and the reduction of bias in AI methods that evaluate user-generated content online.Michael RovatsosAI and its application to sustainabilityFocus on AI algorithms that can support the development of technologies supporting fairness, equality, and social justice. As part of my role at the intersection of research and innovation, I am also interested in many other areas of sustainability where AI and data science can be applied.David Rushfire justiceinformal settlementsresilienceHelp understand and deliver fire safety in the poorest settlements in the global south. This ranges from the social and cultural drivers of fires and how they start, through to the large scale conflagrations that can occur. By understanding this broad spectrum of parameters that effect fire safety, appropriate evidence-based interventions can be proposed to create safe, more sustainable, and more resilient urban agglomerations. Lila Skountridakithe digitalisation of the workplace & decent workthe digitalisation of the workplace & productivityFocus on new forms of flexible work (remote work; hybrid work; the 4 day work week) assisted by the digitalisation of the workplace, and how these enhance or threaten the Quality of Working Lives (including work-life balance, staff productivity, staff well-being and employee voice). Job Thijssenbattery materialssustainable reformulationJEDI (justice equity diversity inclusion)Interested in soft matter for sustainable energy materials, for example hybrid solid electrolytes for safer batteries, as well as the role of inclusion in current physics curricula.John Vinesdesignco-creationdata-driven technologyInterested in issues of social responsibility around technology design and development, and co-creation of new systems with communities that are affected by and responsible for them. Conducted research around digital technologies and data-driven systems in relation to civic action, community development, and in general the role of technologies in supporting sustainable communities and address issues of social inequality. This article was published on Monday 25 May 2026
