Official Welcome

Professor Cath Ellis is Pro Vice-Chancellor, Quality and Integrity at Western Sydney University. One of the world’s leading experts on academic integrity and contract cheating, Professor Ellis’ higher education experience spans educational strategy, academic governance, regulatory compliance, and quality assurance and enhancement. In 2019, the Times Higher Education named Professor Ellis as one of their People of the Year for her work on issues of academic integrity and contract cheating. That same year she was awarded the Principal Fellowship by Advance HE. She also works regularly with the Australian Government’s Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) on their masterclasses on topics including detecting and investigating contract cheating.

Guest Speakers

Leveraging AI to Instruct Design Students on Circular Design Techniques and Life Cycle Assessment

Dr Toktam Bashirzadeh Tabrizi is a Lecturer in the School of Engineering, Design and Built Environment at Western Sydney University, specialising in sustainable design and life cycle thinking. Her research focuses on integrating Circular Economy principles and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) into the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, with growing interest in the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and sustainability. With over 15 years of experience in architecture and sustainable design, she brings both industry knowledge and academic expertise to empower future designers to minimise environmental impacts through informed material choices and early design strategies that support circular and regenerative outcomes.

Green by Design: Engineering an Energy-Smart AI Future for Education

Benjamin Kelley is an accomplished academic and educator specialising in engineering education, curriculum design, and STEM pedagogy. With a background in physics and over a decade of leadership at Western Sydney University, he has spearheaded major initiatives including program accreditations, industry alignment, AI-driven pedagogy, and international education partnerships. His research interests focus on educational transformation, workforce capability, and equitable access for underrepresented regions. Currently completing a PhD in Engineering Education, Ben brings together practical industry insights and academic expertise to develop scalable, future-focused curricula. He is deeply committed to mentoring early career educators and advancing inclusive, innovation-led teaching practice.

The Use of Artificial Intelligence in Automation Learning

Arthur Gambo is a PhD student in Automation at the Université de Reims-Champagne-Ardenne, France. He is currently visiting the Centre of AI at Western Sydney University with Professor Bernard Riera and Professor Eunika Mercier-Laurent as part of a successful  Franco-Australian PHC FASIC grant scheme for the project “Bridging AI Sustainably across Industry 5.0 and Society 5.0”. He is especially interested in using AI to detect human errors that may occur during the learning process in automatic control. He will begin this work following his visit to Western Sydney University, recognized as experts in the field.

Introduction to Boodlebox: Reducing AI-Related Environmental Impact

Zach Kinzler is the Head of Academic Sales Strategies at BoodleBox.ai, where he helps colleges and universities implement cutting-edge AI tools to empower students and educators. With a background in engineering and analytics, Zach blends technical know-how with a passion for student success and equitable access to AI. He also hosts The Smarter Campus Podcast, where he interviews global voices on the future of education and technology. Today, he works closely with student leaders and faculty to drive AI literacy across campuses. Zach is excited to share actionable strategies and real-world insights from the frontlines of AI in education.

Generative AI in Sustainability: How Emerging Intelligence is Powering a Greener Future

Ayesha Aafreen is currently pursuing her Masters of Research degree at Western Sydney University, where she is exploring the intersection of ESG and finance, with a focus on sustainability-driven bank stability. Her academic work is informed by over 14 years of professional experience with global technology leaders like MetricStream, Oracle, and Autodesk. She is also a certified expert in Governance, Risk and Compliance management. Ayesha is particularly passionate about how emerging technologies like generative AI can be harnessed for ethical and impactful sustainability solutions, which will have an impact on the environment.

From Prompts to Planet-Saving: The Power of Generative AI in Climate Innovation

Kunal Rehani is a HDR (Higher Degree by Researcher) whose field of work focuses on data science and advanced statistics, with expertise in longitudinal data analysis, digital health interventions, and modelling human behaviour. With over 15 years of experience in academia, human resource development and industry, he brings a rich interdisciplinary perspective to his work. He has delivered numerous public talks and led workshops on innovation, change, leadership, and behavioural transformation. In current and upcoming projects, advanced statistical methodologies and machine learning are employed to analyse complex health and behavioural datasets. As a speaker, he blends analytical rigour with engaging, practical communication.