About the Event
In mid December 2025, Dr Samantha Pearman-Kanza was invited to present on Data Stewardship, Electronic Lab Notebooks and Ethical AI at the SCI Event: The Art of the Possible: Data, Digitalisation & AI in Practice Online Webinar.
We are entering a pivotal moment in the chemical and process industries, where data, digitalisation, and AI are no longer distant concepts but key drivers of productivity, innovation, and competitiveness. Yet for many organisations, the path to adopting these tools remains unclear. Where do we begin, what adds value, and how do we distinguish genuine opportunities from hype? This session also marks the start of a wider SCI initiative, building momentum toward the SCI 2026 Conference on Data, Digitalisation & AI, where these themes will be explored in greater depth through cross-sector demonstrations, deep dives, and community-driven discussion.
Event Programme
This webinar comprised talks from academia and industry that gave different perspectives on the possibilities of Data, Digitalisation and AI. This was followed by a Q+A session with the speakers.
Event Audience
This workshop is designed for those at the early stages of their digital journey, while still offering valuable insights for anyone exploring the next step. Through industry-focused case studies, participants will see how companies are improving data quality, automating routine processes, enabling predictive decision-making, and laying the foundations for AI adoption through effective data stewardship. Attendees will gain an understanding of the full digital journey from capturing and managing data to applying digital tools and predictive models and how to align internal capability with meaningful outcomes.
Event Organiser
This event was organised by SCI’s Data Digitalisation and AI Group. Choosing a path through all the available ways to apply digital techniques to your company is hard. SCI is setting up a community where you can learn from those who have already started that journey. The community will be managed by a committee of practitioners and run for the benefit of all. It will hold events to communicate the latest technology, best practice in its implementation and share results from its successes.
Outputs
In her presentation, Samantha explores the importance of creating truly re-useable FAIR data principles through effective stewardship and practical digital solutions. Highlighting national initiatives such as CaSDaR and PSDI, the talk outlines emerging support structures for responsible, data-driven research. A case study from the University of Southampton illustrates lessons learned from implementing an Electronic Laboratory Notebook in the School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering. The final aspect of the talk discusses ethical AI in academia, emphasising transparency, reproducibility, and the responsible adoption of new technologies to build a trustworthy, AI-ready research ecosystem. Samantha’s slides can be found here: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17866517.