Gibbons Memorial Lecture Series
In 2008, the School of Computer Science began an annual lecture series to present Computer Science research to the wider public. The lectures are named the "Gibbons Lectures" in memory of Associate Professor Peter Gibbons.
About Associate Professor Peter Gibbons
Peter Gibbons was a member of the University of Auckland's Department of Computer Science from its earliest days in 1980 until his retirement in 2004.
His began his academic career at Massey University, where he completed a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Statistics with First-class Honours in 1970. This was followed in 1972 by a Master of Science in Computer Science with Distinction – the first degree in Computer Science awarded in New Zealand. He completed his PhD in Toronto then returned to New Zealand to lecture at Massey, before moving to the University of Auckland. His tenure included a three year stint as Head of Department. After retirement, Peter continued his association with the University under an honorary appointment.
The Gibbons Lectures fund
The prestige of these lectures and their permanence depends on funding. Click the link below to support the Gibbons Memorial Lecture series by gifting a one off or regular contribution.
2025 series
How Artificial Intelligence is reshaping education
Artificial Intelligence offers new opportunities to enhance teaching, personalise learning and improve student outcomes. The 2025 Gibbons Lecture Series explores the role of AI in modern education, examining real-world applications, discussing the impact on teachers and students, and addressing the challenges of interacting with AI. Whether you are an educator, student or policymaker, this series will provide valuable insights into how AI is revolutionising education and what the future holds.
This lecture series is funded by the Royal Society, Gibbons Lecture Fund, School of Computer Science and Auckland ICT Graduate School.
How might AI contribute to solving our educational challenges?
Stuart McNaughton
University of Auckland
Rather than start with the promise of AI, Stuart will introduce the big challenges we face in education in Aotearoa New Zealand. Then ask the question how AI might contribute to solving these. Two overarching concerns are posed as equity and excellence. Contributing to solving these requires solving four system problems: variability in performance, scalability of what works, capability to implement what works and sustainability of what works. AI can contribute assessments for complex cognitive and social emotional skills, and instruction that goes beyond simple tutorial functions. Prototypes of both standalone assessments and games illustrate that promise. These could have direct and indirect effects on each of the four challenges. However, educational change always carries risks. A notable risk with AI is exacerbating the overarching concerns.
Event date: Tuesday 13 May 2025
Beyond the Computer Lab: Why AI Literacy Matters for Everyone
Kathryn MacCallum
University of Canterbury
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer confined to tech giants and research labs; it underpins everyday experiences from online recommendations to self-driving cars. As AI technologies become increasingly omnipresent, understanding how they work and how they shape our world is essential for every individual—no matter their age or background. This lecture highlights why AI literacy must move beyond the domain of computer science into our classrooms, our homes, and our wider communities. We will explore the foundational principles of AI, dispel common myths, and discuss the implications that AI has on the wider educational sector. Drawing on practical examples and educational initiatives, we will examine how even young learners can develop meaningful AI skills and critical thinking capacities. By cultivating a generation equipped to scrutinise, use, and co-create AI responsibly, we can ensure that all share the benefits of these intelligent technologies.
Event Date: Tuesday 20 May 2025
Exploring the application of AI in education
Panel host: Piata Allen
Exploring the application of AI in Education, in this panel session academics from the Department of Electrical, Computer, and Software Engineering and Te Puna Wānanga School of Māori and Indigenous Education outline their joint projects.
Panellists
Piata Allen is a Māori-medium graduate, teacher and parent whose PhD research focused on rebalancing mātauranga and school mathematics curriculum content. Piata also designs and delivers online learning programmes for te reo Māori (Māori language), Hangarau Matihiko (Digital Technologies) and Pāngarau (Mathematics). The focus of her work recently has been examining the affordances of emerging technologies for te reo Māori and place based learning.
Varun Modi is a prolific commentator within the eSports industry of New Zealand. Varun provides the voice, storytelling and charisma to some of the highest quality eSports events within the country.
Nasser Giacaman is a senior lecturer in the Department of Electrical, Computer, and Software Engineering. He teaches in the Software Engineering programme, covering fundamental programming concepts and software design. His research focuses on utilizing his software development background to create digital solutions across several educational domains.
Catherine Watson joined the Department of Electrical and Computing Engineering at The University of Auckland in February 2004. Her main research interest is speech production for both humans and machines and her work impact both speech science and speech technology through building models of speech articulators, speech synthesis, and acoustic phonetics.
Jesin James's main research areas are speech signal processing, under-resourced languages, machine learning and engineering education. During 2012-2014 she worked on developing a Text To Speech synthesis system in her native language, Malayalam (language spoken in south India), with special emphasis on developing a prosodic model for the same. In 2016, she joined the University of Auckland as Ph.D scholar in computer systems engineering. For her PhD, she worked in the Healthcare Robot project (part of CARES, University of Auckland), with special focus to improve the naturalness of synthetic speech and incorporate empathy into the robot voice, to further improve its acceptance.
Event Date: Tuesday 27 May 2025
I Prompt, Therefore I Code: Adapting Computing Education in the Age of AI
Paul Denny
University of Auckland
Generative AI is rapidly transforming the landscape of computing, presenting both complex challenges and exciting opportunities. At the professional level, debate continues about the future of software development: will AI largely replace human developers, or will it enhance efficiency and drive an even greater demand for skilled professionals? Similarly, in computing classrooms, where programming has traditionally been the foundation, the ease with which AI models can generate code has prompted an urgent need to re-think teaching, learning, and assessment strategies. In this talk, Paul will share some attempts to adapt to this evolving challenge, a topic that has become increasingly central to computing education research. Paul will also take a moment to express gratitude to those who have supported his academic journey, which began with a Master’s thesis under the supervision of Associate Professor Peter Gibbons; it is an honour to deliver this inaugural lecture as part of the Gibbons Memorial Lecture Series.
Event Date: Tuesday 3 June 2025