During their residency week, DSA Cambridge Fellows gained rare behind-the-scenes access to two of the world’s leading AI and data science institutions, exploring cutting-edge research in machine learning, environmental forecasting, and responsible AI governance.
MICROSOFT RESEARCH CAMBRIDGE VISIT
On 22 April, DSA Fellows visited Microsoft Research Cambridge — one of the world’s foremost computer science research laboratories — for an immersive few hours exploring how frontier AI is being shaped at the intersection of industry and academia.
The session opened with a welcome and overview of MSR’s global mission led by Dr Kenji Takeda, Director of Research Incubations, who highlighted the lab’s work accelerating AI for science, sustainability, and health. This was followed by a fireside-style conversation with Dr Abigail Sellen, VP and Distinguished Scientist and former Cambridge Lab Director, which ranged across questions of trust, data provenance, and how to conduct policy-relevant research in the generative AI era.
The visit concluded with a guided tour of the lab’s applied research environments at 198 Science Park, where fellows observed compute infrastructure, robotics, and optical and AI systems up close.
THE ALAN TURING INSTITUTE VISIT
The following day, Fellows also spent time at the Alan Turing Institute, the UK’s national institute for data science and AI. The session opened with a brief introduction to the Turing’s mission and a highlights tour of current research programmes, before opening into a wide-ranging group discussion.
The conversation spanned some of the most pressing challenges at the frontier of AI and data science. Dr Scott Hosking, Mission Director for Environmental Forecasting, shared how the Turing is applying AI to climate and earth system prediction. Dr James Geddes, Principal Data Scientist, brought perspectives on rigorous data science practice and its role in generating trustworthy insight. Dr Christopher Burr offered a deep dive into AI assurance — exploring how we build systems that are safe, transparent, and accountable.
The exchange gave Fellows a rich view of how the Turing bridges foundational research and real-world impact across government, academia, and industry.