ELLIS Distinguished Lecture: Hatice Gunes
When
Where
On February 17, 2026, Hatice Gunes will give a lecture on Fairness for Affective and Wellbeing Computing Systems and Agents. The lecture is hosted by Guoying Zhao (ELLIS Institute Finland and University of Oulu).
Date and time
February 17, 2026, 10:00-11:00
Location
Online: Zoom
Tellus Backstage, University of Oulu
Erkki Koiso-Kanttilan katu 3, 90570 Oulu
Abstract
Datasets, algorithms, machine learning models and AI powered tools that are used for perception, prediction and decision making constitute the core of affective and wellbeing computing. Majority of these are prone to data or algorithmic bias (e.g., along the demographic attributes of race, age, gender etc.) that could have catastrophic consequences for various members of the society. Therefore, making considerations and providing solutions to avoid and/or mitigate these are of utmost importance for creating and deploying fair and unbiased affective and wellbeing computing systems, as well as agents and robots that are embedded with these systems. This talk will present the Cambridge Affective Intelligence and Robotics (AFAR) Lab’s research explorations in this area and will outline recommendations to achieve greater fairness for affective and wellbeing computing, while emphasising the need for such models to be deployed and tested in real world settings and applications, for example for robotic wellbeing coaching via physical robots.
Bio
Hatice Gunes is Full Professor of Affective Intelligence and Robotics (AFAR), Director of the AFAR Lab and an Associate Director of the Centre for Human Inspired Artificial Intelligence (CHIA) at the University of Cambridge. Prof. Gunes is an internationally recognized scholar in affective computing and robotics. She is a former President of the Association for the Advancement of Affective Computing (AAAC) and was a Faculty Fellow (2019-2021) of the Alan Turing Institute – UK’s national centre for data science and artificial intelligence. She was an Honoree for the Sony Women in Technology Award with Nature 2025 which celebrates inspirational women in technology who are poised to redefine the future of their fields.