Lovelace-Hodgkin Symposium 2026

Lovelace-Hodgkin Symposium 2026

Making the Invisible, Visible: AI, Stories, Power & Participation 

Programme 

09:00 – 09:15 | Welcome  
Introducing the theme Making the Invisible, Visible and setting the scene for a day of critical exploration, creativity and participation. 

 

Part I – How AI Works 

0915 – 1015 | The Nuts and Bolts of LLMs 
Dr Jake Lever — Interactive Session 

An interactive exploration of large language models, revealing what happens behind the interface and challenging common assumptions about how AI systems generate text, knowledge and meaning. 

1015 – 1115 | Exploring the Journey of an AI Prompt 
Prof. Anna Feigenbaum — Interactive Game 
Tracing the path from prompt to output, examining the hidden infrastructures, decisions and labour involved in producing AI-generated responses. 

 1115 – 1145 | Morning Break 

 

 Part II: What AI Obscures 

1145 – 1245 | AI Cyber Resilience: Broken Canvas 
Dr Tim Peacock — Interactive Game 
Exploring the unintended consequences of AI systems, from vulnerabilities and misuse to the broader challenges of building trustworthy and resilient technologies. 

1245 – 1345 | Scaling Trust in Systems 
Kimia Witte and John Donaldson — Interactive Session 
Examining the ethical and social implications of absent, incomplete and invisible data, and how these gaps can shape biological outcomes, research and policy. 

1345 – 1440 | Lunch 

1440 – 1445 | Live Music: Artificial Child 

Maaike Siegerist – New music  

Maaike will sing Artificial Child, the new single by her progressive rock band, Long Earth. The song is inspired by Professor Geoffrey Hinton, who pioneered the technologies that underpin AI systems, as he reflects on his invention. 

 

Part III: Who Gets to Tell the Story? 

1445 – 1545 | Storytelling, Memory and Power 
Emma Robertson and Miguel Jardine — Interactive Session 
Exploring how stories shape our understanding of the past and present, and how power influences which voices, experiences and histories are remembered or forgotten. 

1545 – 1645 | Drone Aesthetics: Sublime View or Tunnel Vision? 
Dr Beryl Pong — Interactive Session 
Considering how aerial and remote sensing technologies shape perception, knowledge and authority, raising questions about who sees, who is seen and who controls the view. 

1645 – 1700 | Closing Reflections 
Drawing together the themes explored so far, reflecting on questions of visibility, voice and power, and setting the scene for the final session of the symposium. 

 

Part IV: Reclaiming Visibility and Participation 

1700 – 1730 | Drinks Reception 
1730 – 1830 | Mapping & Monitoring in Indigenous Territories — Film Screening & Q&A 
Michael Watts — Q&A with the Producer 
A LifeMosaic documentary exploring Indigenous-led approaches to mapping, monitoring and protecting territories, followed by a discussion with the producer. 

 

Closing Reflections

From algorithms and data to stories, maps and communities, the symposium concludes by asking how we can make AI and its impacts more visible, understandable and open to participation by all.

 

Arts and ideas exchange

Throughout the symposium, we will exhibit a collection of creative works developed in response to the theme of Making the invisible, visible. These contributions come from GU societies, book club members, students, staff and others who have explored questions around AI, data, power, participation and visibility through different creative forms.

During the longer symposium breaks, our contributors are invited to stand alongside their work and speak informally with attendees about the ideas, questions and processes behind it. This is an opportunity to explore the artworks more closely, meet some of the people who created them, ask questions and continue the conversations of the symposium beyond the formal programme.

 

Conference venue:

Debates Chamber, Glasgow University Union (32 University Ave, Glasgow G12 8LX), follow Google maps. Parking in the area is very limited, however, there are a number of spaces for Disabled Badge Holders near the venue. Public transport access is excellent, with links via train, subway and bus. 

There are numerous hotels around the University. These include:

• Glasgow Grosvenor Hotel (10 min walk from the venue)

• Argyll Guest House (15 min walk from the venue)

• Argyll Western Hotel (15min walk from the venue)

• Argyll Hotel (15 min walk from the venue)

• The Alamo Guest House (15 min walk from the venue)

• Crowne Plaza Glasgow (30 min walk from the venue)

• Campanile Hotel Glasgow SECC Hydro (30 min walk from the venue)

• Radisson RED Hotel, Glasgow (30 min walk from the venue)