Heike Schmidt-Felzmann

Heike Felzmann is a Senior Lecturer in PhilosophyEthics in the discipline of Philosophy at the School of History and Philosophy. Her current research addresses primarily ethical issues in AI and robot ethics. She also works in research ethics, health care ethics, and moral theory, with focus on theory inof Bioethics and feminist bioethics.She has been involved in a number of European research projects: Partner (with Dympna Casey) in ERASMUS+ project PROSPERO oneducation for the use of robots in the caring professions(2018-2021) WG4leadon ELS issuesin Wearable Robotics and STSM coordinator for the COST Action on Wearable Robotics (CA16116) (2017-2021) WG3 member of the COST Action RANCARE (CA14208) on Rationing in Nursing Care (2016-2019) Leader ofethics deliverables and chair of the Ethics Board of a H2020 project (MARIO) on assistive robotics forolder personswith dementia (2015-2018) Chair of COST Action CHIPME (IS1303) on ELS issues in genetic testing, Citizens Health through Public - No restriction-private Initiatives: Public - No restriction health, Market and Ethical perspectives (2015-2017)

My research in recent years has mostly focused on ethical issues in AI, robotics and information technologies. Specifically, I am interested in ethics by design approaches, the question of trustworthiness and transparency, robot ethics, relational information technologies (e.g. AI companions, care robots) and health applications, especially in the area of mental health. I haveparticipated in and been responsible for ethics work packages in a number of European research projects relating to healthcare robots and other innovative technologies. I am also interested in Healthcare Ethics more generally, with particular interest in ethics in the area of mental health. I have extensive professional experience working in healthcare settings as a psychotherapist, and am particularly interested in ethical and conceptual issues arising in the delivery of psychotherapy and the needs of traditionally marginalised communities (e.g. neurodivergence, gender diversity). Areas of specialisation: Ethics in AI and Information Technology, Healthcare Ethics, Research Ethics, Feminist Ethics

While I am based in Philosophy, more than half of my teaching takes placeoutside philosophy. My teaching in Philosophy is focused on helping students engage with core ethical concepts and theories, acquiring a conceptually differentiated understanding of how moral theories and contested concepts underpin our understanding of questions in applied ethics. My teaching offerings, learning activities and modes of assessment have been in constant flux over the years, with a view to maximising opportunities for real world applications.In Philosophy, my currentfocus is on moral theory (PI335 Moral Theory), information technologyethics (PI2101 Information Ethics, PI6110 Ethics and AI)and undergraduate (PI399 Extended Essay) and postgraduate research skills(PI6104 Research Methods).In my teaching outside Philosophy, Ifocus on capacity building in applied and professional ethics for professionals in a wide range of subject areas, introducing them to concepts and theories that can help them reflect on important phenomena in their professional practice. In my teaching outside of Philosophy I am currently offering extensiveteaching in Ethics in Information Technologies and AI for postgraduate students in Computer Science on several AI programmes (CT5142 AI and Ethics, CT5152 AI and Ethics Online, CT5185 Ethics and Law for AI).In addition I teach module segments in Nursing Ethics on the undergraduate nursing and midwifery programmes (NU3104 Ethics and Law) and the postgraduate programme in Nurse Prescribing(NU010Professional, legal and ethical Issues in Nurse Prescribing). I also offer across-disciplinary postgraduate module in Research Ethics (SPA459 Research Ethics), mostly attended by PhD students in the social sciences. In the past, I also providedsubstantial additional teaching in Nursing Ethics, Medical Ethics, and Engineering Ethics.