Nick Hawes

Nick Hawes is a respected authority in the field of artificial intelligence and robotics, recognised internationally for his pioneering work on intelligent autonomous systems. As a Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics at the University of Oxford, and Director of the Oxford Robotics Institute, he leads transformative research that is redefining the potential of robotic technologies. His work spans a wide range of applications, from ground robots navigating nuclear sites to autonomous underwater vehicles gathering scientific data. As a speaker, Nick is celebrated for making complex AI and robotics concepts accessible, inspiring audiences with his vision of a future powered by intelligent machines.

With academic roots in a BSc and PhD in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Birmingham—where he began his career as a Research Fellow—Nick has steadily built a distinguished academic and research profile. He returned to Birmingham in 2004, eventually becoming Reader in Autonomous Intelligent Robotics before joining the University of Oxford as a Tutorial Fellow at Pembroke College in 2017. His leadership extends to national research efforts, having served as Group Leader for AI and Robotics at The Alan Turing Institute, and his contributions to long-term autonomous robotics are widely acknowledged across the research community.

Nick currently heads the GOALS (Goal-Oriented Autonomous Long-Lived Systems) research group, dedicated to solving the challenge of sequential decision-making in autonomous systems. He has led major projects such as the EU STRANDS initiative, which delivered long-term autonomy for mobile service robots in real-world environments. His leadership was also pivotal in the Oxford Robotics Institute’s receipt of the prestigious Queen’s Anniversary Prize. Through numerous high-impact deployments—including on active nuclear sites and sensor-rich marine environments—Nick’s research continues to shape the future of AI applications.

A passionate advocate for public engagement, Nick is the MPLS Academic Champion for Public Engagement with Research at Oxford, and a familiar face on media platforms including BBC Horizon and TEDx. Notably, he delivered the Lord Kelvin Award Lecture at the British Science Festival and has recently shared insights on platforms like the “OxAI” Podcast and “OxfordSparks”. If you’re seeking a captivating, future-focused keynote speaker on robotics and AI, hire Nick Hawes via The Cyber Security Speakers Agency.