AI in Academia: Reshaping Qualitative Methods and Research Practice
In what ways is AI transforming research, particularly in relation to qualitative methods and academic practice?
This event brings together PhDs and Early Career Researchers to examine the growing impact of AI in academia, with a particular focus on how it is reshaping qualitative methods and methodological practice. As AI tools become increasingly embedded in research workflows, questions around rigour, interpretation, ethics, and methodological innovation are becoming more pressing.
Dr Aleksei Turobov and Dr John Lourenze Poquiz will offer both conceptual and practical insights into the use of AI in academic research, drawing on their work at the intersection of policy, methodology, and applied data analysis. The session will explore how AI is being used in qualitative and mixed-methods research, the opportunities it creates for scaling and innovation, and the challenges it raises for research design, validity, and governance.
Dr Aleksei Turobov is an Assistant Professor at the Bennett School of Public Policy. His research examines the critical gap between the global ambitions of AI policy and the practical realities of its implementation. He leads research for the AIxGeo project, using a mixed-methods approach that combines AI-driven thematic analysis with network analysis to map the emergent coalitions and narratives shaping international AI policy and governance. Dr Turobov argues that the success of global governance hinges on the granular details of AI institutional capacity. This conviction drives his work on the adoption of Large Language Models (LLMs) within the UK civil service, where he evaluates the ‘expectation-capability gap’ and develops frameworks for responsible implementation. By connecting global strategy to institutional practice, his work generates an evidence-based understanding of how institutions can adapt in the age of AI, informing his ongoing work on evaluating institutional AI adaptation using machine learning. He holds a PhD in Political Science and was previously a Postdoctoral Fellow in Cybersecurity and Technology Policy at Northumbria University.
John Lourenze Poquiz is a Research Associate at the Bennett School of Public Policy specialising in economic measurement, productivity, and innovation. His current work focuses on developing novel methods to measure the modern economy and exploring the drivers and productivity impacts of innovative technologies.Previously, John served as a Research Associate for the Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence programme at King’s Business School. Before relocating to the UK, he worked as a Senior Statistician for the National Accounts Team at the Philippine Statistics Authority. In this role, he led the development of Satellite Accounts, contributed to the estimation of the Quarterly National Accounts and the construction of Input-Output Tables. He has also worked as a consultant for international organisations, including the Asian Development Bank and the World Intellectual Property Organization.John holds a PhD in Economics from King’s College London and Master’s degrees in Economics from both the University of Adelaide and the University of Santo Tomas.
The discussion will be followed by a Q&A.
Registration will close two hours before the event begins.