Applied and Explainable AI (AXAI) Group

(Image credit: Ilya. Well, mostly AI.)
Group Members
Staff
- Andrew Lensen (group leader): applied/interdisciplinary AI, explainable AI, social impacts/lite-ethics of AI, AI science communication.
- Personal (academic) homepage: https://andrewlensen.com/
- VUW homepage: https://people.wgtn.ac.nz/andrew.lensen
- Wiki homepage (just for this group, really): https://ecs.wgtn.ac.nz/Users/Andrew
- Emily O'Riordan: AI for scientific modelling, physics-informed neural networks, environmental applications
- VUW homepage: https://people.wgtn.ac.nz/emily.oriordan
- Ali Knott (associated Prof): ethics and social impact of AI, cognitive science.
- VUW homepage: https://people.wgtn.ac.nz/ali.knott
Students
- Ben Cravens (MSc, 2025-2027): Preparing for Advanced Artificial Intelligence in Aotearoa New Zealand: Possible Scenarios and Policy Responses.
Supervisors: Dr Andrew Lensen and Prof Ali Knott. - Ryan Jaggers (MSc, 2025-2026): Kākā AI project (Ecology).
Supervisors: Dr Rachael Shaw (Ecology) and Dr Andrew Lensen. - Marie Katsanos (MSc March 2025-): The Impact of Generative AI on Creativity.
Supervisors: Prof Bart Ellenbroek (Psychology) and Dr Andrew Lensen. - Alix Schultze (MSc, February 2025-): A Machine Learning Approach to Binary Equivalence.
Supervisors: Dr Andrew Lensen and A/Prof Jens Dietrich. - Paula Maddigan (PhD, July 2024-): Artificial Intelligence for Smart Conservation.
Supervisors: Dr Andrew Lensen and Dr Rachael Shaw (Ecology). - Sofie Claridge (PhD, May 2024-): Machine Learning for Quench Detection in Superconducting Magnets.
Supervisors: Dr Dominic Moseley (RRI), Dr Andrew Lensen, and Prof Rod Badcock (RRI). - Johniel Bocacao (MSc, April 2024-): Improving algorithm safety tools for the New Zealand public sector.
Supervisors: Dr Andrew Lensen and Prof Ali Knott. - Abigail Clennell (MSc, March 2024-): AI-Driven Kākā Facial Recognition for Conservation.
Supervisors: Dr Andrew Lensen and Dr Rachael Shaw (Ecology). - Mayuravaani Mathuranathan (PhD, July 2023-): Enhanced Voice Analysis and Processing for Hearing Aids.
Supervisors: Prof Bastiaan Kleijn, Dr Andrew Lensen. - Nimasha Herath (PhD, July 2023-): Harnessing the Power of Deep Learning and Earth Observation for Flood Forecasting in Aotearoa. Supervisors: Dr Andrew Lensen, Dr Anya Leenman (Geography) and A/Prof Mairéad de Róiste (Geography).
- Ilya Shabanov (PhD, April 2023-) Modelling of Forest Succession.
Supervisors: A/Prof Julie Deslippe (Ecology), Dr Andrew Lensen and A/Prof Jonathan Tonkin (UoC). - Hayden Andersen (PhD, March 2020-) Evolving Human-Friendly Explanations.
Supervisors: Dr Andrew Lensen, Prof Will Browne (QUT), and A/Prof Yi Mei.
AXAI Group Guidelines
Purpose and Benefits
- Knowledge Exchange: Hear about diverse topics, especially those outside your immediate expertise.
- Feedback & Idea Generation: Share your work to receive valuable feedback and spark new ideas.
- Problem-solving Outlet: Use the group as a resource when facing obstacles or getting stuck in your research.
Meeting Structure
- High-Quality Presentations: Each session features one primary student speaker ("facilitator") who leads the meeting.
- Preparation and Effort: The facilitator should invest effort in clearly communicating their topic, maximising the value for both the presenter and the audience.
- Group Effort: The other group members should take the time to read any material circulated before the meeting. They should contribute to the discussion respectfully, knowing that they want the same in return!
(Suggested) Meeting Formats
- Research Updates: Practice presenting your latest research clearly to get "free" feedback/insights.
- BYO Research Problem: Bring specific research challenges for group problem-solving.
- Topic Discussions: Introduce a topic by clearly summarising key paper(s), formulating discussion points, or defining areas where input is needed.
Facilitator Requirements
- Meetings are scheduled well in advance, with a rotating presenter.
- Topic Finalisation: You should finalise your topic with Dr Andrew Lensen at least two weeks before the meeting.
- Circulate Material: Pre-reading material for your talk (if any) should be circulated at least one week before the meeting. This includes, for example, the paper you will be presenting.
Meetings
Date | Room | Presenter | Topic | |
08/9/25 | CO431 | Skipped | ||
01/9/25 | CO431 | Nimasha Herath | Discussion of 2nd PhD objective | |
25/8/25 | CO431 | Skipped (Scheduling) | ||
18/8/25 | CO431 | Abigail Clennell | Power efficient algorithms for photon transport | |
11/8/25 | CO431 | Skipped (Illness) | ||
04/8/25 | CO431 | Dr Emily O'Riordan | Overview of AI Weather Research | |
28/7/25 | CO431 | Johniel Bocacao | All-of-Government AI Assurance model | |
21/7/25 | CO431 | Snacks 'n' Chats | ||
14/7/25 | CO431 | Skipped | ||
07/7/25 | CO431 | Ryan Jaggers | Fieldwork Overview | |
30/6/25 | CO431 | Break | ||
23/6/25 | CO431 | Alix Schultze | Overview of background research using ML for binary equivalence | |
16/6/25 | CO431 | Paula Maddigan | YOLO Object Detection model fine-tuned for detecting kākā | |
09/6/25 | CO431 | Johniel Bocacao | KCDC vs “The People” - The Flood Model Dividing The Coast. | |
02/6/25 | King's Birthday! University Shut | |||
26/5/25 | CO431 | Sofie Claridge | PhD Proposal | |
19/5/25 | CO431 | Ilya Shabanov | Latest work | |
12/5/25 | MARU101 | Nimasha Herath | Discussion of results from PhD Objective 1 + problem-solving | |
05/5/25 | CO431 | Abigail Clennell | Latest Kākā posture research | |
28/4/25 | MARU101 | Hayden Andersen | Highlights of the latest AI and Productivity Report | |
21/4/25 | Easter Monday! University Shut | |||
21 March to 18 April |
Andrew away --- social catchup(s) | |||
10/2/25 | All | AXAI Resumption! (Re-)introductions & planning | ||
Jan '25 to Feb '25 |
Summer Break! | |||
December '24 | "Coffee December" | |||
4/11/24 | Johniel Bocacao | econometrics* sucks: can reinforcement learning save it? | ||
21/10/24 | Abigail Clennell | More Kākā Stuff | ||
14/10/24 | Nimasha Herath | Automatic Flood Detection from Sentinel-1 Data Using Deep Learning Architecture | ||
07/10/24 | Skipped! Enjoy 1 hour of touching grass. | |||
30/9/24 | Ilya Shabanov | Using Machine Learning to Link Climate, Phylogeny and Leaf Traits in Eucalypts Through a 50-fold Expansion of Current Leaf Trait Datasets | ||
23/9/24 | Sofie Claridge | Practice Europe talk | ||
16/9/24 | Hayden Andersen | LLM XAI paper | ||
09/9/24 | Sofie Claridge | Microsoft's Generative AI report | ||
02/9/24 | General Discussion | |||
26/8/24 | Andrew on Annual Leave --- social catchup! | |||
19/8/24 | Johniel Bocacao | TBD, perhaps Treasury Report | ||
12/8/24 | Abigail Clennell | Update on MSc research | ||
05/8/24 | Andrew at School Meeting --- social catchup! | |||
29/7/24 | Paula Maddigan | Paper Discussion: "Recurrence over Video Frames (RoVF) for the Re-identification of Meerkats" | ||
22/7/24 | Andrew away --- social catchup(s) | |||
15/7/24 | ||||
08/7/24 | Sofie Claridge | Sofie's Birthday!! Cake & Discussion of AI News | ||
01/7/24 | Johniel Bocacao | AI in Government 101 | ||
24/6/24 | Hayden Andersen | XAI: Roundtable | ||
17/6/24 | Sofie Claridge / Ilya Shabanov | Practice presentation / journal paper overview | ||
10/6/24 | Abigail Clennell | MSc research discussion | ||
03/6/24 | King's Birthday! | |||
27/5/24 | Nimasha Herath | PhD Proposal Practice | ||
20/5/24 | Hayden Andersen | Taxonomy of XAI | ||
13/5/24 | All | Introductions |