Our academics

Lecturer in Digital Futures, School of Humanities
Richard is interested in how videogames, virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence systems allow for and pose new forms of humanistic inquiry. His approach to researching Digital Futures is informed by a background in Classics and Ancient History as well as his work for the Bristol Digital Game Lab, which he co-founded and currently Co-Directs.

Professor of Digital Futures, School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies (SPAIS)
Her specialisms are in the everyday life of digital media, with specific interests in how presents and futures are made and experienced. Her research works across theory, method and the empirical.

Professor of Digital Futures, University of Bristol Law School
Colin’s research looks at the relationship between law and emerging technologies. He explores how existing laws can be applied to new technologies, whether we need new laws, and if so, how to make sure those are ‘future-proof’ in the face of fast-moving regulatory targets. He is particularly interested in rules around AI and robotics.

Senior Lecturer in Digital Futures, School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering
Rasheed specialises in ad hoc networks and cybersecurity, vehicular communications security and privacy, applied cryptography, Internet of Things (IoT) security, and the role of emerging technologies (blockchain and Artificial Intelligence -- AI) in cyber and network security. His research work at BDFI focuses on the security of digital twins, emerging network infrastructure, and the social implications of security and privacy.

Professor of Digital Futures, University of Bristol Business School
An applied anthropologist with over a decade in high tech, Melissa's research investigates the future of employment, technology design and management practice, and the climate costs involved in their convergence.

Senior Research Associate, School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies
Marisela’s research specialism is in investigating how the outcomes of AI can be meaningfully explained to different data publics, and the adoption of emerging technologies in the workplace. At BDFI she will apply her experience in interdisciplinary and design-led participatory research to create more diverse, equitable and inclusive data-driven futures.

Lecturer of AI for Networks in Smart Internet, School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering
Xiaolan's current research interests include distributed learning in networks, reinforcement learning in edge computing, and trustworthy AI. She has published more than 30 journal and conference papers in these areas and is a member of IEEE, IEEE Communication Society and IEEE Women in Engineering.

Lecturer in Business Analytics, University of Bristol Business School
Sophie’s area of research revolves around ethics and leadership, looking at the responsibility of corporations towards society and where they focus their attention, beyond making profit and abiding by laws. At BDFI, Sophie will be working to ensure that the ethical dimension of digital technology is properly built into our digital futures to address emergent ethical challenges which will help in creating a better future that is inclusive and trustworthy.

Lecturer in Digital Futures, University of Bristol Business School
Ola’s research interests revolve around understanding how experts from diverse fields collaborate on digital innovations. Previously, she applied this question to the context of critical infrastructures, cyber security, and energy industry. Ola contributes to debates in Science and Technology Studies and plays an active role in communities such as Research Institute for Sociotechnical Cyber Security (https://riscs.org.uk/).

Associate Professor in Digital Futures, School of Policy Studies
Sanja’s research interests are borders and mobility, security technologies and surveillance, gender and victimisation, and international criminal justice and human rights. She will work on the crime-technology nexus, in particular challenges and promises around technology’s current and future application in crime prevention, offending, victimisation, and the criminal justice system.

Lecturer in Networks, School of Electrical, Electronic, and Mechanical Engineering
Shadi specialises in Native-AI 6G networks, focusing her research on the orchestration and optimisation of next generation intelligent networks, multi-access edge computing, and intelligent multi-objective profiling towards zero-touch network and service management. At BDFI, she continues her pioneering work on Native-AI networks to enhance future network performance and develop innovative, human-centric networking solutions.

Lecturer in Digital Futures, University of Bristol Business School
Devika Narayan's research focuses on the transformation of markets, firms, and the structure of work. She is interested in the relationship between emerging technologies and industrial change. Her current work investigates how cloud computing arrangements restructure the corporate computing sector. Devika holds a Ph.D in Sociology from the University of Minnesota and an M.Phil and M.A. in Sociology from the Delhi School of Economics.

Lecturer in Digital Futures, School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies
Jessica’s research centres on the politics of data/archives, with a focus on the ways that digital culture, media and knowledge are constructed and represented online, as well as the broad implications these have for contemporary and future digital scholarship. She is excited to continue this research with BDFI, in particular on the role and future-making capabilities of data in everyday life, with a view towards building more inclusive digital futures.

Professor of Energy Efficient Telecommunication Networks, School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering
Ning has been involved in nearly 30 research and innovation projects funded by UKRI, DSIT, EU, ESA, Royal Society and Industry over the past 20 years. He has been the deputy director and technical leader of the £12M TUDOR Project funded by DSIT focusing on open 3D networks towards 6G. His main research areas include future network systems, immersive media delivery and network management.

Associate Professor, School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering
Yulei’s current research focuses on network digital twins, AI-powered networks, connected systems, and edge intelligence. He will continue this research with BDFI, particularly focussing on applying AI to improve the performance of future networks and developing technical solutions to address relevant ethical and social issues.