The Impacts and Opportunities of AI in the Natural Sciences: The Journey of a Museum AI Lab - Sanson Poon
When: Friday, January 30, 2026, 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Where: G. O. Jones, Room 610, Mile End
Speaker: Sanson Poon
'In-reach' seminars are for speakers from outside of astrophysics chosen for their novel perspective on themes that relate scientific methods, applications or outcomes in a broader context. For this inaugural In-reach Seminar we have invited Dr. Sanson Poon, founder of the Natural History Museum AI Lab.
Title: The Impacts and Opportunities of AI in the Natural Sciences - The Journey of a Museum AI Lab
Abstract: Artificial intelligence is increasingly embedded in scientific research. Yet translating computational advances into sustained impact often begins with small, focused initiatives. This talk traces the development of the NHM AI Lab at the Natural History Museum, established to explore how AI and data science can be practically integrated into earth and life sciences research. Through projects spanning biodiversity analysis, large-scale digitisation of collections, and data-driven pattern discovery, the lab demonstrated how computational methods can accelerate research workflows, enable new lines of scientific inquiry, and deliver tangible innovation, including work that has resulted in a filed patent. These efforts also opened new opportunities for collaboration and funding. Building on this foundation, the NHM AI Lab became the inspiration for the DCMS AI Pilot Programme, a national initiative designed to scale AI-enabled research practices across the UK’s research ecosystem. The talk will reflect on lessons learned in moving from a museum-based experiment to a national programme, highlight selected projects delivered through the pilot, and consider future directions for embedding AI more deeply within natural science research.
Speaker bio: Dr Sanson Poon is the founder of the NHM AI Lab at the Natural History Museum, where he integrates AI and data science into earth and life sciences research, with an initiative that led to a patent filing. Dr Poon also founded a consultancy that delivers AI and data science solutions across healthcare, government, and industry, leading projects that address national-scale challenges in service delivery, public health, and research. With a background in physics and complex systems modelling, he applies computational methods across domains from disease dynamics to astrophysics. His work demonstrates how AI can be harnessed to improve outcomes and shape the future of research.