Social Computing Hub Launch

January 2025

The Social Computing Hub Launch took place on the Plas Coch Campus and was open to staff, researchers, students, and external business links.

Opening Remarks

Dr Phoebe Teh, Reader in Social Computing and founder of the hub, commenced with an introduction to the Social Computing Hub. Social Computing is a field within computer science that focuses on the intersection of social behaviour and computational systems. The hub, which started as a virtual space, has now progressed to a physical space to support the grow and development of research within Computing.

Vision and Objectives

The vision of the Social Computing Hub is to be a leading centre of excellence in computing research, fostering innovation and collaboration to address complex societal challenges through the integration of computational, social, and interdisciplinary sciences. The key objectives include:

• Facilitate Collaborative Research: provide a space for staff and students to collaborate on social computing projects, dissertations, and other research activities.
• Support Grant Applications: to secure funding for research projects.
• Encourage Open-Door Meetings: hold bi-weekly open-door meetings for staff and students to discuss their research and seek consultation.

Research Areas and Future Directions

Dr Teh highlighted some of the areas that Social Computing covers such as Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Algorithms for Information Dissemination, Social Network Analysis, and Information Elicitation. With over 85 publications to date, Phoebe’s research has touched on various aspects of Social Computing such as the London Bridge Attack 2017, Climate Change, and Society Change with Technology such as Profanity and Hate Speech Detection. Potential research ideas for 2025 were also discussed, topics included AI in art and marketing and the use of large language models within business.

Presentations and Insights

Dmritrii Iarovoi, PhD student, Digital Learning Facilitator Intern and Co-Founder of the Social Computing Hub, presented on Using Computer Games for Research Purposes. He discussed the importance of video games in daily life and their significance in the UK’s social and cultural fabric. His research areas include the emotional response to horror game settings with vibrotactile stimulation, the effect of failure and frustration in completing computer game levels on player experience, and the effect of open non-player character (NPC) dialogue on gameplay experience. Dmritrii also shared insights into AI deep reinforcement learning within gaming.

After a coffee and networking break, Dr Colin Kuka, Senior Lecturer in Cyber & Computing, presented on Cybersecurity and Future Technologies. He led with an overview of his research, including Photovoltaic Array Soiling Management and Design, and maintenance optimisation for large-scale PV arrays. Colin discussed the future of cybersecurity, emerging threats, and innovative protections- redefining security for finance and beyond.

Workshops and Interactive Sessions

Post-lunch, attendees engaged in workshops to generate problem statements for research exploration. These statements were written down, grouped into clusters, and discussed in order to build on the ideas and refine possible solutions. An interactive whiteboard was used to capture problems at the industry level, allowing for the addition of challenge identification layers and more detailed descriptions.

Closing Remarks

The day concluded with closing remarks by Dr Teh, outlining the next steps and summarising key takeaways. Attendees left with a shared excitement to see what direction the research projects head within the hub.

We look forward to seeing the innovative research and collaboration that will undoubtedly emerge from the Social Computing Hub.