Generative AI & the researcher: tools, strategies & practical insights

• This popular course is regularly delivered to researchers at top UK universities
• Over 1,000 researchers from a range of disciplines have taken the course
• 95% of participants rate the course as 5 star (5/5 or excellent)
• 98% would recommend the course to other researchers

This introductory course aims to demystify the rapidly evolving area of generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) tools & provides a practical insight into how these tools can be integrated into the research process.

Course content

The course is very practical - it begins with an introduction to generative AI and emphasises the ethical considerations, limitations and responsibilities associated with using these tools, before moving on to a series of live demonstrations of a variety of tools and how to use them at different stages of the research process.

Participants will be shown how they can harness the power of these tools to support their own projects, including how to find and compare key references, draft document outlines, explore novel ideas, suggest methodologies, plan projects, analyse and visualise data, writing assistance and more.

The instructor will demonstrate the tools in a logical sequence using her own research topic as an example, but no prior knowledge of the field is required.

After this workshop participants will have:

• an understanding of what GenAI tools are & their capabilities;
• been introduced to a range of GenAI tools & how to integrate them into the research process;
• discussed the ethical considerations, responsible use & limitations of using these tools in research.

Included in the price:

• This 2.5 hour live training session with the instructor (held on Zoom).
• Access to our popular on-demand course "Generative AI & the researcher" that you can do in your own time after the live session.

• Access to our AI tools resources database which compares 40+ AI tools that we have tried & tested.

Who is the course for?

• PGR students and research staff from all disciplines.
• Researcher developers and staff who support researchers.
• PGT students working on their dissertation.

About the instructor

The course will be delivered by Dr Joanna Young, Director of Electv Training, a training provider based in Edinburgh, UK. Joanna studied artificial intelligence during her MSc in Informatics and she then obtained a PhD in neuroscience and informatics from the University of Edinburgh before completing a three year stint as a postdoctoral researcher there.

Joanna founded Electv Training in 2011 and the company has provided training to over 100 universities in the UK and Europe. Training courses range from half day introductory sessions to week long intensive programmes. Joanna’s extensive experience of delivering effective training events spans over a decade and these courses are very popular with students and staff.

Electv website: https://electv.net

What do previous participants think?

"It was such a brilliant session that I’d like to recommend it to colleagues, whom I think would benefit."

"Excellent. Very practical, and something I can use immediately in my research work. The course was also very up to date, and the access to further resources offered is a valuable asset."

"An eye opener! A must do for all academics."

"Excellent! Very insightful course, with clear explanations and nice examples of using GenAI for academic research, also raising awareness about ethical issues of using AI-created content."

"Joanna also had really useful suggestions and provided hints and tips for effectively using a myriad of GenAI tools. Until today, I'd predominantly only heard of (and attempted to use) ChatGPT which I'm sceptical about, but will definitely experiment with the various other AI tools that were recommended in the session. I anticipate using some of the recommended tools will be game changing."

"Energising, motivating, inspiring - with a clear, confident presenter and practical hands on activities."

"It was extremely engaging, practical and very thoughtful. I am so glad that I had a chance to attend today's session."

"Thank you very much. Such a super workshop with resources that are actually useful!!"

"I have attended over 30 workshops and training sessions so far, and this one has been the most helpful."

"This was eye opening, I feel like I can see my time coming back to me especially as a parent and busy research academic. Thank you."

"Great course – with incorporation of a real discussion on ethics/integrity/risks, it would be a brilliant course for our researchers."

"Overall an amazing course, would highly recommend to anyone and everyone."

Course fees

We are offering a discounted early bird rate if you book your place by 30th April. The course fees are as follows:

• Early bird rate: £50 + VAT (£60) *
• Standard rate: £75 + VAT (£90)

* Early bird rate - book by 30th April 2025.

Registration will give you access to the full course including: the live taught online session, extra resources, an invitation to join the Electv community and an additional online course that you can complete in your own time.

Funding to attend

Several of the previous participants on our courses have had their places funded/ reimbursed by their institutions. If you are a PhD student or member of staff at a university or research institute then you may be able to ask your department or institute to pay for your place on the course. You may wish to contact your superviser or training and skills department directly to ask about this. Please note we cannot manage these queries on your behalf.

For researcher developers & graduate schools: block and/or private bookings are available for this course. If you would like to book places for several students you can do so via the ticketing page or we can send you an invoice (please email us at enquiries@electv.net if you would prefer to pay via invoice.)