Thomas Leslie

Background

About Thomas Leslie

I am currently in my third year of BSc studying Philosophy and Psychology and looking to start my honours degree in the second half of the year. My main interests revolve around AI programs such as ChatGPT and other technologies such as VR and social media which currently look poised to fundamentally shift how people interact with each other, technological agents and other sources of knowledge, as well as make decisions and do work. I would like to study this topic all the way to the PhD level, as the field is so interesting, rich and potential impactful. I have been proactive in building a research portfolio during my first two years in undergrad, doing RA work with Andy Vonasch in his Moral Rationality Lab and a project through Auckland University doing a thematic analysis of the Pokémon franchise, specifically into its portrayals of natural disasters, hazards, and disaster risk reduction, and potential Pokémon's potential to be used to develop understanding and responses to hazards and disasters. I have also become involved with the UC Meta group and their work around promoting better research practice in academia. Atop coursework, these experiences have given me a solid base to pursue a research career in the future.