PaCT Lab

Before Christmas Faye & Bronte joined PaCT Lab after their first year, they introduce themselves and their research in this blog post…

Over the past year, we’ve been part of the first cohort of the Citizen Centred Artificial Intelligence (CCAI) Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) at Northumbria University – an experience which has been both challenging and exciting. Throughout the programme, we’ve audited modules around AI and digital technologies, coding, design and co-design practices, and research methods. We’ve also participated in seminar series exploring emerging topics in human–computer interaction (HCI), digital civics, and design theories and methodologies. Alongside this, we’ve collaborated on several research projects with fellow cohort members. Here, we had the opportunity to conduct semi-structured interviews, work with local businesses, and develop our presentation and communication skills. In this post, we reflect on our journey so far, sharing insights and experiences from our first year as PhD researchers on the CCAI CDT. 

A highlight of our first year has been being part of such a varied and supportive cohort. Coming from a wide range of disciplines – including computer science, psychology, business, education, and design, we each brought unique perspectives, skills, and ways of thinking to the table. This created a supportive learning environment, where we could approach complex problems from multiple angles and challenge each other’s assumptions in productive ways. The cohort model not only encouraged interdisciplinary collaboration but also created a strong sense of community, as we learned from each other’s expertise. As we navigated the early stages of doctoral training, we shared coding tips, discussed research methods, and checked in during intense project weeks. Together, we built a network grounded in mutual learning, encouragement, and curiosity, which has become a defining part of our journey within the CCAI CDT.

We both have backgrounds in Psychology, though our experiences stem from different areas within the field. Faye’s experience comes from a health background that emphasises a participant-focused, qualitative approach, while Brontë’s experience lies in social research that employed a range of mixed methodologies. Furthermore, our PhD projects both have a strong focus on social issues relating to feminism and AI. 

Faye’s research investigates the systemic healthcare biases experienced by women and individuals assigned female at birth (AFAB) through medical gaslighting, dismissal, and invalidation. Focusing on menstrual conditions such as endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome, the research aims to examine how these biases are reinforced or challenged within emerging digital health technologies. Specifically, the research explores the rapid integration of AI into FemTech – technologies designed to address the health needs of women and AFAB individuals. Through a mixed-methods approach involving interviews, participant diaries, and co-creative workshops, the PhD will analyse how menstrual tracking applications embed AI and explore women and AFAB people’s views and experiences of these systems. The project will employ co-design methodologies to collaboratively reimagine AI systems which prioritise equity and inclusivity of those with menstrual conditions. Finally, a feminist framework for AI in women’s and AFAB people’s healthcare applications will be co-created.

Brontë’s research focuses on the social and psychological impact of heteronormativity (the perception that gender roles are fixed, and straight romantic relationships are ‘normal’ or ‘preferred’), gender bias, how both operate in the English language, as well as the impact this has on women and queer minorities. The research will explore how biased language is encoded in language models, ultimately reinforcing or introducing heteronormative and gender bias within the general population. This will be accomplished by examining heteronormativity in word embeddings from a training data set that is fed into AI language models. The PhD will then utilise co-design and participatory practices to determine the impact this language has, with a focus on women and queer individuals. Finally the intent is to develop ways to mitigate the potential harms or internalised biases caused by the reproduction of biased language within language models.  

PACT Lab fosters a productive and interdisciplinary work environment. As CCAI PhD researchers, joining PACT Lab has provided us with an invaluable space to connect our doctoral work to a wider community of researchers from different disciplines. PACT Lab’s focus on people and technology aligns closely with the CCAI ethos, allowing us to explore how we can promote the development of AI that is co-created with communities, rather than developed for or implemented upon them. Through PACT Lab meetings, and informal office discussions, we’ve been able to share our ideas, receive constructive feedback, and contribute to the collective research culture. Being part of PACT Lab has not only supported the development of our individual PhD projects but has also strengthened our sense of belonging within the wider Northumbria research communities.

We can’t wait to see where this research takes us next and look forward to sharing new insights and developments along the way ✨

Faye Doughty & Brontë Rapps