I’ve not posted anything here for a while now, so here is a quick update. I passed my PhD Viva in May, completed 9 hours of minor corrections, and will graduate in July. My PhD Dissertation – Using Other Minds: Transparency as a Fundamental Design Consideration for Artificial Intelligent Systems – will shortly be available on the Research Portal, in addition to the other published papers.

Between April and June, I completed a short-term position as a Business Engagement Manager for the Computer Science Department here at the University of Bath, developing industry relationships for the upcoming Level 7 Degree Apprenticeship Masters programme in Computer Science.

This week (June 18th 2018), I began a new permanent, full-time position within the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering as a Teaching Fellow in Robotics. I will be focusing on the delivery of our new MSc in Robotics and Autonomous Systems. This is an exciting new role for me for several reasons. Firstly, I’ll be developing my teaching skills. I enjoyed the role of teaching assistant during my PhD, particularly helping students on their project work. However, during my four years of Doctoral study I focused primarily on research. Now I have the opportunity to focus on teaching!  Secondly, I’ll have the opportunity to learn more about robot technologies and platforms, particularly ROS (Robot Operating System), by setting coursework and helping students build their ROS based projects. Thirdly, I’ll get to know a whole new department of people, working with them to deliver our teaching commitments, and I’m sure learning a great deal along the way.

Electrical Engineering, as its was known back then, was the department where I studied as an undergraduate M.Eng student, a long while ago! The building itself has changed very little, but the teaching style, research focus and departmental culture is substantially transformed, and I feel I’m in a new place, not back in an old one.

In my first year I’ll also be working on the ‘Bath Course‘ leading to FHEA accreditation, mandatory for all teaching staff here at Bath. I recently attended the first Bath ‘Edufest‘, a very worthwhile and inspiring day, with excellent keynote and workshop sessions delivered by Prof Tansy Jessop.

So, for the immediate future my path is set. All that remains is to plan and prepare various programme units, wait for the students to arrive, and let the engineering begin!

Rob Wortham

June 2018