Overview
Background
Dr Caitlin Curtis is a research specialising in responsible AI, applied ethics, and emerging technologies. She leads national collaborations on AI governance and digital rights, shapes public policy and discourse, and created one of Australia’s first Responsible AI university courses.
Dr Curtis is a recipient of the 'ABC Top 5 Scientist Media Residency Award', and the Australian Institute of Science & Policy Tall Poppy Science Award', recognizing excellence in both research and science communication.
Teaching
- Caitlin currently teaches the UQ Master of Business Analytics course: Responsible Artificial Intelligence - which looks at the ethical, legal, and social issues relating to AI and automated systems.
- She also lectures into Responsible Management for the Global Economy, particularly around the ethical and responsible management of artificial intelligence and similar technologies.
She also coordinates and moderates the UQ AI Collaboratory's 'Ask Me Anything about AI' series, which is a unique forum that brings together panellists with technical expertise in artificial intelligence, along with experts from across social science, communication, policy, or law to answer audience questions and spark multidisciplinary discussion around important topics relating to AI systems, including: AI social media predictions, facial recognition systems, misinformation and AI, and deep learning.
Availability
- Dr Caitlin Curtis is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of South Florida
Research interests
-
Responsible AI and applied ethics: Responsible deployment of emerging technologies
-
Digital Governance: public trust and ethical deployment of AI in society
-
Governance and predictive applications of digital genomic data
-
Equitable access to and policy to support emerging biotechnology & AI in health
-
Effective communication of science and emerging technology
Research impacts
Dr Curtis' work appears in journals such as Computers in Human Behavior and AI & Ethics. She also leads impactful public-facing scholarship, having authored more than a dozen articles (10 as lead) in The Conversation, reaching over 500,000 readers and placing me among UQ’s top 65 most-read academics. She has appeared in media interviews to discuss her research, including ABC 7.30 Report, TripleJ Hack, and The Health Report with Norman Swan, among others. This commitment to public engagement, public discourse, and trust-building is further reflected in her co-authored book chapter, Establishing Trust in Science Communication (Curtis et al. 2023). Her work has informed national policy through five formal submissions into national inquiries, and been cited in government reports (e.g. Australia’s Safe and Responsible AI 2023 paper). Her work has been recognised with BEL Faculty and national awards for research impact and public engagement.
Works
Search Professor Caitlin Curtis’s works on UQ eSpace
Featured
2014
Journal Article
DNA fingerprinting in zoology: past, present, future
Chambers, Geoffrey K., Curtis, Caitlin, Millar, Craig D, Huynen, Leon and Lambert, David M (2014). DNA fingerprinting in zoology: past, present, future. Investigative Genetics, 5 (3) 3. doi: 10.1186/2041-2223-5-3
2025
Journal Article
Erotic AI chatbots offer research opportunities for the behavioral sciences
Pearson, Samuel and Curtis, Caitlin (2025). Erotic AI chatbots offer research opportunities for the behavioral sciences. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 54 (3), 855-858. doi: 10.1007/s10508-025-03085-7
2023
Conference Publication
An AI-enabled community safety service: stakeholder benefits and vulnerabilities
Pool, Javad, Smith, Natalie, Dodds, Hunter, Lockey, Steven, Curtis, Caitlin, Rinta-Kahila, Tapani and Gillespie, Nicole (2023). An AI-enabled community safety service: stakeholder benefits and vulnerabilities. Australasian Conference on Information Systems (ACIS), Wellington, New Zealand, 5 - 8 December 2023. Atlanta, GA, United States: Association for Information Systems.
2023
Conference Publication
From the complex present to the risk-laden future of trust: over the mountain and into the frying pan
Mayer, Roger C., Jang, Dongil, Shah, Pri Pradhan, Jones, Stephen L., Siderits, Ian, Flynn, Patrick, Mulvey, Paul W, Lockey, Steve, Gillespie, Nicole, Pool, Javad, Curtis, Caitlin, Edwards, Martin, Belkin, Liuba, Tuskey, Sarah, Becker, William J., Korsgaard, M. Audrey, Strizver, Sam, Ployhart, Robert E and Williams, Michele (2023). From the complex present to the risk-laden future of trust: over the mountain and into the frying pan. 83rd Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, Boston, MA United States, 4-8 August 2023. Briarcliff Manor, NY United States: Academy of Management. doi: 10.5465/amproc.2023.18559symposium
2023
Other Outputs
Trust in AI: 2023 Global study on the shifting public perceptions of AI: Global Executive Summary
Gillespie, Nicole, Lockey, Steve, Curtis, Caitlin and Pool, Javad (2023). Trust in AI: 2023 Global study on the shifting public perceptions of AI: Global Executive Summary. New York, NY, United States; Brisbane, Australia: KPMG International; The University of Queensland.
2020
Other Outputs
PrivColl: Practical Privacy-Preserving Collaborative Machine Learning
Zhang, Yanjun, Bai, Guangdong, Li, Xue, Curtis, Caitlin, Chen, Chen and Ko, Ryan KL (2020). PrivColl: Practical Privacy-Preserving Collaborative Machine Learning.
2016
Journal Article
Long-term site fidelity of endangered smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata) from different mothers
Poulakis, Gregg R., Stevens, Philip W., Timmers, Amy A., Stafford, Christopher J., Chapman, Demian D., Feldheim, Kevin A., Heupel, Michelle R. and Curtis, Caitlin (2016). Long-term site fidelity of endangered smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata) from different mothers. Fishery Bulletin, 114 (4), 461-475. doi: 10.7755/FB.114.4.8
2015
Journal Article
Radiocarbon dating of Sacred Ibis mummies from ancient Egypt
Wasef, S., Wood, R., El Merghani, S., Ikram, S., Curtis, C., Holland, B., Willerslev, E., Millar, C. D. and Lambert, D. M. (2015). Radiocarbon dating of Sacred Ibis mummies from ancient Egypt. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 4, 355-361. doi: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2015.09.020
2015
Journal Article
Population structure and genetic diversity of invasive Phyla canescens: implications for the evolutionary potential
Xu, Cheng-Yuan, Tang, Shaoqing, Fatemi, Mohammad, Gross, Caroline L., Julien, Mic H., Curtis, Caitlin and van Klinken, Rieks D. (2015). Population structure and genetic diversity of invasive Phyla canescens: implications for the evolutionary potential. Ecosphere, 6 (9) 161, 162.1-162.21. doi: 10.1890/ES14-00374.1
2012
Journal Article
Fifty-nine microsatellite markers for hybrid classification studies involving endemic Florida Mottled Duck (Anas fulvigula fulvigula) and invasive Mallards (A. platyrhynchos)
Seyoum, Seifu, Tringali, Michael D., Bielefeld, Ronald R., Feddersen, Jamie C., Benedict, Richard J., Jr., Fanning, Andrew T., Barthel, Brandon L., Curtis, Caitlin, Puchulutegui, Cecilia, Roberts, Alicia C. M., Villanova, Vicki L. and Tucker, Emily C. (2012). Fifty-nine microsatellite markers for hybrid classification studies involving endemic Florida Mottled Duck (Anas fulvigula fulvigula) and invasive Mallards (A. platyrhynchos). Conservation Genetics Resources, 4 (3), 681-687. doi: 10.1007/s12686-012-9622-9
2011
Journal Article
Genetically effective population sizes of Antarctic seals estimated from nuclear genes
Curtis, Caitlin, Stewart, Brent S. and Karl, Stephen A. (2011). Genetically effective population sizes of Antarctic seals estimated from nuclear genes. Conservation Genetics, 12 (6), 1435-1446. doi: 10.1007/s10592-011-0241-x
2011
Conference Publication
Genetic diversity despite population collapse in a critically endangered Marine fish: The smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata)
Chapman, Demian D., Simpfendorfer, Colin A., Wiley, Tonya R., Poulakis, Gregg R., Curtis, Caitlin, Tringali, Michael, Carlson, John K. and Feldheim, Kevin A. (2011). Genetic diversity despite population collapse in a critically endangered Marine fish: The smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata). Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/jhered/esr098
2010
Book
Distribution, habitat use, and movements of juvenile smalltooth sawfish, Pristis pectinata, in the Charlotte Harbor estuarine system, Florida
Poulakis GR, Stevens PW, Timmers AA, Stafford CJ, Curtis C, Trinagali MD and Bakenhaster MD (2010). Distribution, habitat use, and movements of juvenile smalltooth sawfish, Pristis pectinata, in the Charlotte Harbor estuarine system, Florida. Final Report, F2616-06-09-F. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute.
2009
Journal Article
Pleistocene population expansions of Antarctic seals
Curtis, Caitlin, Stewart, Brent S. and Karl, Stephen A. (2009). Pleistocene population expansions of Antarctic seals. Molecular Ecology, 18 (10), 2112-2121. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2009.04166.x
2007
Journal Article
Sexing pinnipeds with ZFX and ZFY loci
Curtis, Caitlin, Stewart, Brent S. and Karl, Stephen A. (2007). Sexing pinnipeds with ZFX and ZFY loci. Journal of Heredity, 98 (3), 280-285. doi: 10.1093/jhered/esm023
Funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Caitlin Curtis is:
- Available for supervision
Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on how to choose a supervisor.
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
A First Nations Cancer Cohort Study
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Gail Garvey
Completed supervision
-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
Privacy-preserving Sharing for Genome-wide Analysis
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ryan Ko, Professor Xue Li
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Invasion History and Evolution of the Asian Tiger Mosquito Aedes albopictus (Skuse, 1894) and the Yellow Fever Mosquito Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762) in the Indo-Pacific
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr James Hereward, Professor Nigel Beebe
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Caitlin Curtis directly for media enquiries about:
- AI ethics
- AI governance and policy
- Ancestry DNA testing
- Artificial intelligence
- Consumer genetic testing
- Genetic privacy
- Genomics
Need help?
For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team: