Two PhD researchers from the School of Informatics have been recognised at the London Hopper Colloquium 2026, held on 21 May at UCL East. The annual event brings together postgraduate researchers and academics from across the UK to present their work, exchange ideas and build connections. Named in honour of computing pioneer Grace Hopper, the colloquium celebrates research excellence while supporting visibility and community for women in computer science.At this year’s event, Sahel Torkamani was awarded the Speaker Prize, while Nardiena A. Pratama received the People’s Choice Award as finalists in the Research Spotlight competition. Showcasing research in just four minutes A central feature of the event is the Research Spotlight competition, where finalists deliver short presentations - typically just four minutes - on their research to a broad academic audience.Sahel Torkamani’s presentation, “Tracking Geometry of Data Representation to Explain Learning”, explored how the internal structure of neural networks can be analysed to better understand how machine learning models learn and evolve during training. Her work sits within theoretical machine learning, with a particular focus on developing mathematical tools to explain and improve model behaviour. I’m incredibly honoured to have been awarded the Speaker Prize… it was truly motivating to meet such talented peers with similar academic backgrounds. Sahel Torkamani PhD student in Computer Science, School of Informatics, The University of Edinburgh Advancing explainable AI for healthcare Nardiena A. Pratama, a first-year PhD researcher in the UKRI Centre for Doctoral Training in AI for Biomedical Innovation, focuses on developing explainable AI methods for glioma (brain tumour) diagnosis using MRI data.Her presentation, “Interpretable AI for glioblastoma treatment prediction using brain MRI”, demonstrated how machine learning models can be designed to provide more transparent and clinically meaningful insights, supporting decision-making in healthcare.Her work was recognised with the People’s Choice Award, voted for by the audience. Participating in this event was such a rewarding experience… it gave me a chance to take a step back, see the broader goals of my research, and learn how to communicate it effectively to a wider audience.It was also lovely to meet so many brilliant women in computer science from all over the UK. Nardiena Pratama PhD student in Explainable AI for Medical Imaging, School of Informatics, The University of Edinburgh Building community in computing The London Hopper Colloquium is designed to support visibility, connection and collaboration for women and underrepresented groups in computer science, alongside showcasing cutting-edge research across areas including AI, quantum computing and cybersecurity.This year’s event featured keynote talks, industry perspectives and a research spotlight programme where finalists presented their work in short-format talks. Related links UCL article: London Hopper Colloquium celebrates women researchers Publication date 28 May, 2026
