Glen Berman
glenberman.bsky.social
Glen Berman
@glenberman.bsky.social
PhD candidate and researcher @ Australian National University. Studying the practices of Artificial Intelligence research and development. Living and working in Melbourne, on Wurundjeri Country. #ResponsibleAI #STS
Pinned
After one too many conversations about the ways GenAI + peer review = shitshow for all involved, I dashed off this slightly polemic commentary on how I think we should talk about GenAI as an epistemic carcinogen.

link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Off to the UK for a month (with baby, wish me luck). Come listen to me talk about contextualisation challenges in AI on 17 Nov -- link below. Will also be at Fantastic Futures in early December, talking about designing robust evaluation approaches for AI deployments in the cultural sector.
#ResponsibleAI Talk
Can AI be Contextualized?

Speaker: @glenberman.bsky.social , Australian National University
Date: November 17, 2025
Time: 3:30pm (London)

To join online, send empty email, subject “Subscribe RAI” to daniele.quercia ;)
November 8, 2025 at 6:42 AM
If you'll be in Melbourne (or nearby) in February, come join us for a one day symposium. We're seeking proposals for talks that engage with Hannah Landecker's recent paper Life as Aftermath.

More detail here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Melbourne-ite STS-ers, the local AusSTS node are doing a wee Summer Symposium on AFTERMATH - Mon 23 February 2026. If you are interested in coming along then please submit an abstract by 25 Nov 2025 ⏰https://forms.gle/9kwgnpDiE2HP61sF7?_imcp=1
AFTERMATH: AUSSTS MELBOURNE SUMMER SYMPOSIUM 2026
The Melbourne Node of AusSTS is holding a 1-day summer symposium for scholars to present and discuss works in progress. We welcome applications that broadly engage with Science and Technology Studies ...
forms.gle
November 4, 2025 at 1:20 AM
The new HASS Digital Research Hub at ANU is recruiting research fellows (2 yrs, fixed) & a research software engineer.

The fellows will work with @jamessmithies.bsky.social (& me too occassionally) on developing a digital strategy for supporting computational methods in the humanities.

Check out:
Research Fellow (Values-based Digital HASS) - Canberra / ACT, ACT, Australia
Classification: Academic Level BSalary package: $118,632 to $134,507 per annum plus 17% superannuation Terms: Full-time, Fixed term (24 months) Shape the future of digital research: Work closely...
aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com
October 13, 2025 at 5:50 AM
Mindblowing that a UK Labour government has managed to beat the Trump admin in the race to see who can weaponise anti-terror laws to suppress opposition first.

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Ban on Palestine Action to take effect after legal challenge fails
Being a member of, or showing support for, the direct action protest group will be a criminal offence after judge’s decision
www.theguardian.com
September 16, 2025 at 11:09 AM
After one too many conversations about the ways GenAI + peer review = shitshow for all involved, I dashed off this slightly polemic commentary on how I think we should talk about GenAI as an epistemic carcinogen.

link.springer.com/article/10.1...
August 13, 2025 at 5:15 AM
Was a privilege to be a small part of this conversation opening #AusSTS this year. Looking forward to two more days of amazing papers and workshops.
And now for our first keynote panel on "Infrastructures of Noise" 🎛️ chaired by Glen Berman @glenberman.bsky.social helping us to wade through the current information ecosystem moment where misinformation is mistaken for signal and meaningful relation is increasingly filtered out as noise
July 9, 2025 at 7:37 AM
This time next week is #AusSTS. If you can't make it in-person, join for the keynotes, which we're streaming. Includes this one on Infrastructures of Noise, with @digitaldang.bsky.social, Fabian Offert, @katemannell.bsky.social & @ranjodhdhaliwal.com: www.youtube.com/live/ZGBAJWT...
AusSTS 2025 Day 1 Keynote "Infrastructures of Noise"
Join the opening keynote of the 2025 AusSTS "Signals and Noises" conference, live from the National Communication Museum. We are thrilled to have Dang Nguyen (RMIT), Fabian Offert (UCSB), Ranjodh Dhal...
www.youtube.com
July 3, 2025 at 3:23 AM
What does GenAI mean for advocacy and social change organisations?

Here are a few ideas, loosely informed by my PhD research and my experience working in the advocacy sector.

GenAI and advocacy organisations: developing reactive and proactive responses
In this post I share some reflections on how advocacy organisations can respond to GenAI. Writing these reflections has been an exercise in bridging two halves of my career to date.
shorturl.at
June 26, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Kate Williams is a brilliant PhD supervisor & this is a timely and significant project to join. When research funding and academic freedom is under attack, developing a better understanding of what happens when research evaluation is standardised and institutionalised is vital.

shorturl.at/3kHgx
PhD Opportunity in Wider Societal Value of Research and Consequences of its Assessment: A multi-country and multi-method study (MultiSocVal) : Find an Expert : The University of Melbourne
<p> The overarching project is funded by a German Volkswagen Foundation Grant. It brings together international collaborators from four countries – University of Melbourne, Humboldt University, Stellenbosch University, SWPS University, and from a range of disciplines including public policy, sociology, data science, political science, applied linguistics, philosophy and science and technology studies. </p> <p> The PhD candidate will be supported by an overarching research team, including academics, postdocs, research associates and research assistants, spread across the four countries. </p> <p> The overall goals of the group are described below, although there is considerable scope for the PhD candidatee to focus their thesis on an aspect of this work that interests them. </p> <p> Many governments are showing a political commitment to research impact in their respective environments by investing in research evaluation initiatives at different scales. Often the initiatives are characterised by pragmatism, with little attention to underlying value judgements. This creates an urgent need for comparative work with a strong theoretical and empirical basis to study the effects of national evaluation initiatives around impact and societal value. The overall project will address this need through a multi-country and multi-method study of research evaluation initiatives in Germany, Australia, the United Kingdom, Poland and South Africa. Bringing together an international and interdisciplinary team, the project seeks to: </p> <p> (1) produce a comprehensive cross-national and cross-disciplinary overview of research systems with regard to scientific and societal value; </p> <p> (2) investigate what is considered worthwhile research within and between countries; </p> <p> (3) compare the effects of different research evaluation initiatives around impact on research practice in different countries; </p> <p> (4) develop an integrated conceptual framework of scientific and societal value to improve science policy and science practice; and </p> <p> (5) advance stakeholders’ understanding of the effects of research impact assessment for better future evaluation. </p> <p> <strong>About you</strong> </p> <p> We are looking for a candidate with a strong academic background in a relevant discipline such as public policy, sociology, political science, science and technology studies, or a related field. The candidate will be intellectually curious and motivated by critical questions about the role of research in society. Ideally, the candidate will bring an interest in the changing landscape of research governance, including how ideas of value, worth, and impact are shaped and operationalised across national science systems. </p> <p> We welcome applicants with experience in qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods research. An enthusiasm for learning new methods – including bibliometric or computational text analysis, survey design, or innovative qualitative analysis – will be an advantage. The candidate will thrive in interdisciplinary and collaborative environments and be keen to contribute to an international research team spanning multiple countries and disciplinary traditions. Strong written and verbal communication skills, along with the ability to work independently and manage a sustained research project, are essential. </p> <p> This project offers considerable scope for the PhD candidate to shape their own research focus within the broader program, and would suit someone interested in contributing to both theoretical and practical understandings of how research is evaluated and governed in contemporary societies. </p> <p> <strong>Eligibility</strong> </p> <p> Domestic and International applicants may apply. You must meet the entry requirements for the <a href="https://handbook.unimelb.edu.au/courses/dr-philart">Doctor of Philosophy – Arts at the University of Melbourne (link attached)</a> including English language requirements and demonstrate excellent capacity and potential for research. </p> <p> As the successful candidate, You will demonstrae: </p> <ul> <li>An academic background in the field of sociology (of culture/science or related area), STS, library and information science, or public policy/research governance </li> <li>A relevant undergraduate and/or postgraduate degree with an average that equivalent to a H1 (80%) at the University of Melbourne, including H1 results in the Honours or Master’s thesis component; and </li> <li>Experience with qualitative analysis or quantitative analysis in the above fields </li> <li>The ability to write research reports or other publications to a publishable standard (even if not published to date) </li> <li>capability to manage projects effectively, meet deadlines and achieve outcomes within a specified timeframes. </li> </ul> <p> <strong>How to submit an expression of interest</strong> </p> <p> Please submit your expression of interest (EOI) via the ‘Submit Expression of Interest’ button by 15 July 2025. </p> <p> Your EOI must include: </p> <ul> <li>A short description of how the project aligns with your interest and experience, an overview of how your might approach the project goals, and an outline of three relevant references from the literature with a description of how they relate to the project </li> <li>A CV that highlights your relevant academic achievements and any relevant professional experience including the names of two academic referees. </li> <li>Higher education academic transcripts that give detailed information of the individual marks received in your university-level qualifications to date </li> <li>An example of your written academic work (e.g. Honours or masters thesis or peer-reviewed journal article) </li> </ul> <p> For more information about our PhD program and application process, please visit <a href="https://arts.unimelb.edu.au/study/graduate-research"><strong>this website</strong></a>. </p>
shorturl.at
June 13, 2025 at 1:04 AM
I wrote most of this at the end of 2024. I was never quite happy with it, and wasn’t really sure what its purpose was, so never shared it. But, this week I was the target of a gossip driven story about my governance role at GetUp and it made me want to return to this post. So, here’s a long thread…
May 23, 2025 at 2:09 AM
Just back from parental leave, and have some big news:

GetUp's mission is to build a national movement to fight for a fair, flourishing, and just Australia. This mission is more urgent than ever, and right now, we're looking for the right leader to shape what comes next.

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We're hiring our next CEO
GetUp is seeking a bold, strategic, and visionary CEO to lead Australia's most powerful progressive movement. This is your chance to shape the future of progressive politics in Australia. Apply now or...
www.getup.org.au
May 20, 2025 at 9:22 AM
That point in election night when it’s time to switch from ABC to Sky News. Love to watch the arsonists commentating their own house fire. Fingers crossed we get a braver, bolder Albo moving forward. #auspol
May 3, 2025 at 10:47 AM
The handheld vacuum cleaner is an essential Passover tool.
April 20, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Shacket weather is the best conference weather. No more summer conferences please.
March 31, 2025 at 4:29 AM
I'm after recommendations for a service or platform to use to manage compensation gifts to participants in a #ResponsibleAI study. An option is Amazon gift cards, but would prefer an option that lets participants choose a gift card to other companies. Any recommendations appreciated...

#HCI #STS
March 13, 2025 at 3:13 AM
Reposted by Glen Berman
Recently published with @glenberman.bsky.social and Kate Williams journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Lucky to be back from a month-long break, with a paper out in @bigdatasoc.bsky.social! How do academics participate in the construction of ‘AI’ as a research field? We interviewed 90 university-based AI researchers in the UK, US, and Aus. Paper here: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
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Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
journals.sagepub.com
February 10, 2025 at 11:32 AM
The role that national research funders and university administrations play in incentivising academics to seek corporate investment is sometimes missed in discussions of corporate capture of AI. My #AoIR2024 paper explored this - and the extended abstract is now up at: doi.org/10.5210/spir....
A STUDY OF INDUSTRY INFLUENCE IN THE FIELD OF AI RESEARCH | AoIR Selected Papers of Internet Research
doi.org
February 11, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Come work (at least a little bit) with me, and more importantly @jamessmithies.bsky.social. James is great to work with, is committed to critical engagement with computing technologies & the social sciences, & knows how to empower software engineers. Reach out if you'd like to about the roles.
February 6, 2025 at 6:43 AM
The next AusSTS is so soon. Come join us in Melbourne. Cfp is live at: aussts.org/aussts-2025-... #STS
February 5, 2025 at 1:55 AM
Lucky to be back from a month-long break, with a paper out in @bigdatasoc.bsky.social! How do academics participate in the construction of ‘AI’ as a research field? We interviewed 90 university-based AI researchers in the UK, US, and Aus. Paper here: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
1/4
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
journals.sagepub.com
February 4, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Politicians weaponising antisemitism to pass repressive anti-protest laws are failing the Jewish community. These laws will not keep places of worship in Victoria safe, yet will inflame the underlying dynamics driving antisemitism in Australia.

#auspol

www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
No glue, chains or locks: Victoria’s antisemitism crackdown a smokescreen to target climate protesters, critics say
Police powers that request protesters remove their face masks in prescribed areas already exist, according to lawyer at Human Rights Law Centre
www.theguardian.com
December 17, 2024 at 11:00 PM
Reposted by Glen Berman
I've had the pleasure of working with Better Renting's founder, Joel Dignam, as part of @greatercanberra.org.au's Missing Middle Canberra pro-supply planning reform campaign - he's a thoughtful, passionate advocate for renters who has done so much in the last 8 years.

Apply to be his successor!
Better Renting is a great org, looking for a new CEO. Amazing opportunity for someone entrepreneurial in the nonprofit space in Aus, who is passionate about renters' rights and social change. I'm helping out on the selection committee, so please reach out if you'd like to find out more. #auspol
CEO - Flexible Location / Remote - Job in Melbourne or Sydney - Better Renting
Succeeding our founding director, you'll be responsible for growing a national rental justice organisation to help renters have stable, affordable, and healthy homes.
www.ethicaljobs.com.au
December 17, 2024 at 2:42 AM
Better Renting is a great org, looking for a new CEO. Amazing opportunity for someone entrepreneurial in the nonprofit space in Aus, who is passionate about renters' rights and social change. I'm helping out on the selection committee, so please reach out if you'd like to find out more. #auspol
CEO - Flexible Location / Remote - Job in Melbourne or Sydney - Better Renting
Succeeding our founding director, you'll be responsible for growing a national rental justice organisation to help renters have stable, affordable, and healthy homes.
www.ethicaljobs.com.au
December 16, 2024 at 10:13 PM
Reposted by Glen Berman


I'm at Neurips, presenting this work with @glenberman.bsky.social , Ned Cooper and @wesleydeng.bsky.social . Come check out our poster at the EvalEval workshop on Sunday or DM me to chat!
In a paper we’re workshopping this week at #NeurIPS2024, Ned Cooper, @wesleydeng.bsky.social, and Ben Hutchinson and I ask: what is the model of societal impacts reflected in efforts to evaluate GenAI systems?

Paper: arxiv.org/abs/2410.22985
Workshop: evaleval.github.io
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December 12, 2024 at 7:58 PM
Early days, but here's a list of #ResponsibleAI researchers on @bsky.app I've been gradually putting together. Includes those firmly in the Responsible AI world and critical friends who might bristle at their inclusion.
December 12, 2024 at 7:07 AM