About
AI is changing not just how research is done, but how researchers define trust, integrity, and impact. The real question is: how prepared is the ecosystem for what comes next?

Join us for an in‑depth panel discussion inspired by the new Researcher of the Future report from Elsevier’s Confidence in Research program, drawing on insights from more than 3,200 researchers across 113 countries on the future of research in an AI‑enabled world.

In this session, we’ll go beyond the report headlines to explore how researchers are navigating the rapid adoption of AI tools, where human judgment remains indispensable, and how expectations around integrity, transparency, and collaboration are shifting. We’ll also unpack regional differences in AI use and sentiment, and what these mean for institutions working to support responsible adoption and amplify research impact.

This panel brings together researchers, librarians, and academic leaders to interpret the report’s implications for their communities and the research sector at large. Together, they’ll reflect on how innovations in technology and the growing emphasis on trustworthy AI are shaping workflows, integrity, collaboration, and real-world research impact.

We’ll be asking:
  • What does “confidence in research” look like in 2025, and how is AI reshaping it?
  • How are researchers’ accelerating use of AI tools influencing policies, priorities, and expectations across the ecosystem?
  • How do researchers, librarians, and institutional leaders see trust, integrity, and transparency evolving?
  • What will it take for the research community to harness AI responsibly while safeguarding confidence in scholarship?


This session invites all stakeholders to join the conversation about the future of research, and how we move forward together.
When
Friday, December 5, 2025 · 5:00 p.m. London (GMT +0:00)
Presenters
1764086043-0430c786459d44fa
Krista Walton
Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, North Carolina State University
Professor Krista Walton is Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation at North Carolina State University. She also serves as professor and Robert “Bud” Moeller Faculty Fellow in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Georgia Tech.

Walton has published over 140 peer-reviewed articles and presented dozens of plenary lectures, keynotes and invited seminars, and serves as an associate editor for AIChE Journal.

Walton’s accomplishments have been recognized by many national and international awards including the Department of Energy Ernest Orlando Lawrence Award for Atomic, Molecular, and Chemical Sciences (2020) and the AIChE FRI/John G. Kunesh Award for Excellence in Separations Research (2016).
1764085874-e583708103ceedfc
Karim Boughida
Dean of University Libraries, Stony Brook University
An experienced executive leader in higher education, libraries, IT, and data-driven environments. Skilled in AI, emerging technologies, data management, archival and library research, innovation strategy, product and program management, and team development. Committed to inclusion and to creating equitable, accessible, and future-focused library services. Previously led campus-wide innovation initiatives and partnerships at the University of Rhode Island, including the Makerspace, XR Lab, Launch Lab, and the AI Lab.

Karim is currently serving as Dean of Libraries at Stony Brook University since September 2022, where he is focused on building AI capacity across the institution and shaping the library of the future.
1763990019-566c2a36cb9fd45c
Nereyda Ortiz Osejo
PhD Candidate, MA, Texas A&M University
Nereyda Y. Ortiz Osejo is a PhD candidate in Sociology at Texas A&M University, focusing on migration, race, and gender. With a master’s in International Affairs from TAMU and a Political Science degree from Universidad Francisco Marroquín (UFM), her research explores the intersection of demography and social inequities.

Nereyda’s work with New Sun Road reflects her commitment to reducing the gender digital divide and promoting sustainable development. She is passionate about empowering women in STEAM, as seen in her involvement as Communications Responsible in the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), Guatemalan Chapter.

Her professional background includes roles as a design and development specialist at World Vision Guatemala and as a technical analyst at the Central American Sugar Association. She is also a proud Fulbright alumna and has received fellowships from the Mosbacher Institute, UFM, and the Falling Walls Foundation.

Beyond academia, Nereyda enjoys training for triathlons and half-marathons, having Guatemalan coffee, and volunteering in her community to support first-generation Hispanic families.
1763222698-cad09a0181388efb
Dr. Richard Horton
Editor in Chief, The Lancet
Richard Horton is Editor-in-Chief of The Lancet. He qualified in physiology and medicine with honours from the University of Birmingham in 1986. He joined The Lancet in 1990, moving to New York as North American Editor in 1993. In 2016, he chaired the Expert Group for the High Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth, convened by Presidents Hollande of France and Zuma of South Africa. From 2011 to 2015, he was co-chair of the UN's independent Expert Review Group on Information and Accountability for Women's and Children's Health. In 2011, he was elected a Foreign Associate of the US Institute of Medicine and, in 2015, he received the Friendship Award from the Government of China. In 2019, he was awarded the WHO Director-General’s Health Leaders Award for outstanding leadership in global health and the Roux Prize in recognition of innovation in the application of global health evidence. In 2021, he received the Physicians for Human Rights Award in recognition of extraordinary leadership in advancing health and human rights. He now works to develop the idea of planetary health – the health of human civilizations and the ecosystems on which they depend. In 2020, he published The COVID-19 Catastrophe: What’s Gone Wrong and How to Stop It Happening Again. A revised, updated, and expanded second edition was published in 2021. As part of the UK’s 2023 Honours, Dr Horton was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in recognition for services to Health and Medical Journalism
1747213014-eb8ded67cbe3c76a
Emily Singley
Vice President for North American Library Relations, Elsevier
Emily Singley is the Vice President, North American Library Relations at Elsevier. Previously she served in academic library roles at Boston College, Harvard University, Southern New Hampshire University, and Curry College. Emily holds a Masters in Library Science as well as a Masters in Music.
Reserve Your Spot
Full name*
Email Address*
Institution*
Job Title*
Country*
Contact Permission
We would like to keep you up-to-date with what's happening at Elsevier and tell you about our latest products and other services. We may email you about information we think you'll be interested in, including reminders about upcoming events.
For more information, please read our privacy policy
✓ If you do not wish to receive such information please tick the box to opt out of these emails.