Gibbons Memorial Lecture Series
In 2008, the School of Computer Science began an annual lecture series to present Computer Science research to the wider public. The lectures are named the "Gibbons Lectures" in memory of Associate Professor Peter Gibbons.
2026 series
Augmenting scientific discovery with AI
Artificial intelligence is increasingly transforming how scientific knowledge is generated, tested, and applied. This seminar series explores how AI methods, ranging from machine learning and data-driven modelling to autonomous agents and decision-support systems, can augment scientific discovery across disciplines.
We will examine how AI can accelerate hypothesis generation, enable the analysis of complex and large-scale data, and support more efficient and reproducible research workflows, while keeping human expertise firmly in the loop. Through a mix of methodological insights and real-world case studies, the series will highlight both the opportunities and challenges of integrating AI into scientific practice, with particular attention to co-design, transparency, reliability, and responsible use.
AI as a driver of Science: Making sense of the environmental fate of chemicals
Dr Jörg Wicker, School of Computer Science, University of Auckland
Tuesday 12 May 2026
Artificial intelligence is becoming central to modern science, particularly for problems that are too complex to solve through experiments alone. One such challenge is understanding the environmental fate of chemicals. After release, chemicals are transformed by microbes through multi‑step pathways influenced by chemical structure, biological activity, and environmental context. The number of possible chemical and transformation pathways is vast, making comprehensive experimentation impractical.
enviPath addresses this challenge by using AI models trained on experimental biodegradation data and chemical structure to predict multi‑step transformation pathways. Here, AI enables the science to move beyond individual cases to systematic reasoning across incomplete data, uncertainty, and large chemical spaces. Developed in New Zealand, enviPath has evolved from academic research into a platform used by researchers, regulators, and industry, and has led to the creation of a spin‑out company. This work illustrates how AI4Science can enable scientific progress at a scale otherwise unattainable.
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How does artificial intelligence differ from natural intelligence?
Dr Matthew Egbert, School of Computer Science, University of Auckland
Tuesday 19 May 2026
Artificial intelligence is advancing at a remarkable pace and it can be tempting to think that machines are on the verge of human-like thought. But I believe that there are major, categorical differences between AI systems and living minds. For example, AI systems and living organisms can both solve problems, but only living systems have problems of their own to solve.
Animals, humans, and even bacteria are self-maintaining systems whose needs, purposes, and concerns arise from within their own way of being alive. AI systems, on the other hand, act as if they have concerns, but the problems that they solve are ours, not theirs.
Drawing on my research in computational modeling, robotics, and cognitive science, I’ll explore this difference between living minds and artificial intelligence. Along the way, I’ll show how questions about AI and questions about human intelligence have always been tightly intertwined. As we clarify their differences and celebrate their similarities, we learn about both.
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Computing, Culture, and Choices: Why do we do what we do?
Professor Steven Mills, School of Computing, University of Otago
Tuesday 26 May 2026
Rapid advances in AI and other computing technologies allow us to easily do things that until recently would have been considered science fiction. Object recognition, image and video synthesis, text analysis and generation, and many more tools are now available at our fingertips. The pace of development is outstripping our ability to understand its consequences and is increasingly driven by a few large commercial interests. We have, as Carl Sagan put it, “become powerful without becoming commensurately wise.”
Given our increased power it is the responsibility of all of us to wisely choose what we do (or do not do) with these new technologies. One area of particular interest is their use in culture and heritage applications. In this talk, Steven will reflect on my work in this area and provide some thoughts on how to place culture and community, rather than profit and power, at the heart of what we choose to do.
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DIY AI: Open-source AI for drug discovery
Dr. Jonathan Swain
Tuesday 2 June 2026
The rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence is often associated with tech giants like OpenAI and Google, but the true engine of scientific innovation frequently lies in the open-source community. Open-source software, models, and data are free for anyone to use, study, and improve. These community-driven tools are levelling the playing field and democratising high-level research, allowing researchers to tackle global health challenges from their own laptops.
In this talk, Jonathan will share his journey from working at a lab bench to becoming an AI researcher, a transition made possible by these accessible tools. He will showcase how open-source tools are already making a real difference to drug discovery, from helping scientists identify potential antibiotics that had been overlooked for a decade, to using generative AI to design the next generation of drugs.
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About Associate Professor Peter Gibbons
Peter Gibbons was a member of the University of Auckland's Department of Computer Science from its earliest days in 1980 until his retirement in 2004.
His began his academic career at Massey University, where he completed a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Statistics with First-class Honours in 1970. This was followed in 1972 by a Master of Science in Computer Science with Distinction – the first degree in Computer Science awarded in New Zealand. He completed his PhD in Toronto then returned to New Zealand to lecture at Massey, before moving to the University of Auckland. His tenure included a three year stint as Head of Department. After retirement, Peter continued his association with the University under an honorary appointment.
The Gibbons Lectures fund
The prestige of these lectures and their permanence depends on funding. Click the link below to support the Gibbons Memorial Lecture series by gifting a one off or regular contribution.