On 8th and 9th September 2025, three PhD researchers, Feezan Akhtar, Francisco Rubén Parra-Perea and Jiaxing Li (supervised by Dr Jun Chen and Dr Xinwei Wang), attended the inaugural UKAI Research Symposium (UKAIRS) in Newcastle. They presented two posters showcasing recent work on applying AI methods to airport operations.

UKAIRS highlights the best AI research funded by UKRI, providing a platform for researchers at all career stages to discuss emerging challenges across disciplines, exchange ideas on recent developments, and engage with industry, government, and civil society. The symposium featured plenary sessions with keynote and lightning talks, poster and demo sessions, community panels, and parallel sessions of papers and panels.

The poster presentations on AI for airport operations were well-received, generating constructive discussions with researchers and practitioners. The event provided valuable opportunities for the PhD researchers to share project insights, receive feedback from the wider community, and build connections with AI researchers working on diverse societal and technical challenges.

The symposium proved to be a valuable opportunity for the PhD researchers to showcase their work, exchange ideas, and build new connections. Participation in UKAIRS reflects the growing contribution of SEMS researchers to the application of AI in addressing real-world challenges such as airport operations.