2026 SRI Graduate Symposium

The 2026 **SRI Graduate Symposium** brings together a cohort of emerging scholars from across the University of Toronto to showcase cutting-edge research at the intersection of AI and society. Spanning computer science, law, public health, psychology, management, information studies, and the humanities, the symposium reflects the Schwartz Reisman Institute’s commitment to interdisciplinary inquiry and real-world impact.

Across five thematic panels, SRI graduate fellows will present research exploring how AI is reshaping human behaviour, governance, health systems, knowledge production, and culture. From the design of empathic and socially responsive AI systems, to the legal and regulatory frameworks that govern them, to applications in clinical decision-making and public health, the program highlights both the transformative potential of AI and the urgent challenges it raises. The symposium also foregrounds questions of equity and justice, examining whose knowledge is represented in AI systems and how frameworks rooted in relational and community-based perspectives can inform responsible design. It concludes by looking ahead to the future of work and creativity, addressing how AI is reconfiguring professional environments, cultural production, and human–machine collaboration.

Designed to foster dialogue across disciplines and perspectives, this event offers a snapshot of the next generation of AI and society research—grounded in technical innovation, informed by social and ethical analysis, and oriented toward building more trustworthy, inclusive, and accountable AI systems.

**Venue and registration**

**Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus, Collaborative Learning Space (W240)**, Second Floor, 108 College. St., Toronto, ON, M5G 0C6

• Online participation via Zoom (link sent to registrants).
• Registration is free to attend. In-person registration is limited.

**Speakers**

• **Leif Anderson**, PhD student, Department of Psychology
• **Sara Bocchinfuso**, Master’s student, Institute of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation
• **Marco Germanò**, SJD candidate, Faculty of Law
• **Md Arid Hasan**, PhD student, Department of Computer Science
• **Sophia Jit**, PhD student, Department of Computer Science
• **Dariia Kucheruk**, PhD student, Department of Computer Science
• **Patrick Yung Kang Lee**, PhD student, Department of Computer Science
• **Azhagu Meena**, PhD student, Faculty of Information
• **Shawn Meikle**, PhD candidate, Centre for Industrial Relations & Human Resources
• **Rowan O.A. Munson**, PhD student, Faculty of Information
• **Gemma Postill**, MD/PhD candidate, Institute of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation
• **Benjamin Pulver**, PhD candidate, Graduate Department of Art History
• **Frieda Rong**, PhD student, Department of Computer Science
• **Tracy Zhang**, PhD candidate, Graduate Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
• **Xingjian (Ken) Zhang**, PhD candidate, Joseph L. Rotman School of Management

Moderators

• **Miron J. Clay-Gilmore**, postdoctoral fellow, Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology
• **Ilya Grishchenko**, postdoctoral fellow, The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

**For more information of the programme, visit our website [here**](https://srinstitute.utoronto.ca/events-archive/sri-graduate-workshop-2026).

**About the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society**

The Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society is a research institute at the University of Toronto that explores the ethical and societal implications of technology. Our mission is to deepen knowledge of technologies, societies, and humanity by integrating research across traditional boundaries to build human-centred solutions.

Our research community seeks to rethink technology’s role in society, the needs of human communities, and the systems that govern them. We are investigating how best to align technology with human values and deploy it accordingly.

Across all our activities, SRI convenes world-class expertise and diverse perspectives from universities, government, industry, and beyond to develop new modes of thinking about powerful technologies and their role in what it means to be human in the 21st century. We are defining what’s possible, determining what’s at stake, and devising implementable solutions to make sure technologies like AI are effective, safe, fair, and beneficial—for everyone.

**To learn more, [visit our website](https://srinstitute.utoronto.ca/).**