AI for Researchers: Critical Thinking, Trusted Outputs and Responsible Innovation - How to productively use AI in day to day research

AI tools are fast becoming part of everyday research, from literature searches and data analysis to drafting papers and proposals. Used well, they save time and open up new ideas. Without the right checks, they can produce confident answers that are wrong, put sensitive data at risk, and quietly weaken the judgement good research depends on. This one-hour interactive webinar for SPEERI’s Early Career Researcher network, delivered by Lyall Harcher of AIM | AI Management Coaching, looks at how to get the most from AI in your research while keeping your work rigorous and trustworthy.

What to expect

The session covers how AI is changing research and innovation, the common limitations and failure modes of AI tools and how to spot them, and practical approaches for critically evaluating AI-generated outputs. It also explores the ethical, governance and data security questions that matter in a research setting, including work with industry partners and confidential data. Throughout, the focus is on AI as a support to your professional judgement, not a replacement for it. Live demonstrations will show these ideas in action, and there will be time for your questions. 

Who should attend?

Whether you’ve never used AI or use it several times a day, this session is for Energy & Engineering ECRs at all levels, including:  

• MSc Students  

• Postgraduate Researchers (PGRs),  

• PhD Students,  

• Postdoctoral Researchers,  

• Research Fellows 

Session format

When you register, we’ll ask you to complete a short survey on how you currently use AI. The results will feed into the session, so it reflects where researchers across SPEERI’s member universities are today, and will help SPEERI understand how best to support you in future.

Why attend?

You’ll leave knowing how to make AI work for you, with practical habits that save you time and strengthen your research, and the confidence to use it responsibly throughout your academic and professional career.