Monash Information Technology

The world is abuzz with new features like Google's AI Inbox, and we've seen more and more of our private messages being summarised by AI.

But did we really consent to this?

Read more in the ACS Information Age: https://ia.acs.org.au/article/2026/why-is-ai-allowed-to-read-my-messages-.html

Did You Make It? The Women Leading Tech Power List Loooooong List Is Revealed! We love a list at B&T. And none more so than this one.

The B&T Women Leading Tech Power List Long List has named four of our incredible experts!

Congratulations to A/Prof Kirsten Ellis, Prof Aldeida Aleti, Dr Qiuhong Ke and Dr Pari Delir Haghighi:

Women and girls face greater risks during climate disasters, displacement, and economic instability.

Join our #IWD2026 event to hear from alumnae leaders working at the intersection of climate, justice and gender equity: https://events.humanitix.com/women-in-stemm-international-women-s-day-2026

Covered in the @restofworld.org, ARC Future Fellow @jathansadowski.com provides expert commentary on why users around the world are turning away from popular US-owned tech platforms to alternatives like Upscrolled.  

Read now: https://restofworld.org/2026/big-tech-backlash-alternatives-upscrolled/

Our Environmental Informatics Hub experts are a team in the AI for Science Australian Hackathon, solving big research problems, like creating more reliable datasets for climate and environmental apps: https://www.openhackathons.org/s/siteevent/a0CUP00001FSddg2AD/se000394

We’re excited to announce our new Student Awards for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion! 

If you're a Monash staff member or student and have someone in mind, or you’ve worked on great initiatives yourself – make a nomination: https://www.monash.edu/it/edi/awards

Prof Nigel Phair was featured in The Australian Financial Review, commenting on foreign-owned data centres in Australia as a strength rather than a vulnerability: https://www.afr.com/policy/foreign-affairs/kill-switch-risk-data-centres-are-the-next-national-security-fight-20251209-p5nm2c

When one teacher can teach thousands of students at once – how do we maintain high-quality, personalised feedback?

Meet 'Edvance' by PhD student Zhiping Liang and his team: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/delivering-one-to-one-feedback-one-to-many-tnrnc/?trackingId=01%2Fm9sMjQuu%2FlCxnPsIMMw%3D%3D

As part of your set up for 2026, make sure you subscribe to our LinkedIn newsletter Good BITS & Bytes – your source of the tech expertise, insights and innovations from our Faculty: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7209056420887982081

Register for the MIME Women in STEMM Student Leader Awards morning tea to celebrate women students at Monash who are driving innovation in healthcare and medtech: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZclJBOQ06v0bb7mmqOXUQZC-oamFD58LCM61L1-k1e8hw8A/viewform

🗓️ 18 Feb 2026
⏰ 9:00–10:30am

Great to hear Tasdik Hasan interviewed on ABC Radio Hobart about his #PhD research developing new sign language vocabulary that allows deaf communities to express the nuances of their mental health. 

Listen now: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/hobart-sundays/sundays/106228196

Most Aussies can't tell between a real image and a deepfake. 

Prof Monica Whitty shares how scams with AI images work off instincts: https://www.9news.com.au/national/commbank-research-most-australians-are-unable-to-spot-ai-generated-scams/11d952b9-0a57-454d-9b06-c29da34316f8

@9news.bsky.social

Gmail's AI inbox is coming – bringing with it a myriad of smart features.

Associate Professor Abhinav Dhall weighs in for the @information-age.bsky.social on this change impacting 3 billion users: https://ia.acs.org.au/article/2026/get-ready-for-gmail-s--ai-inbox-.html

Our first AI podcast is live!

From stock prices to weather patterns, time series data powers critical systems – but it's tricky to process and interpret.

🎧 Learn about the solution, Series2Vec: https://good-bits-and-bytes.transistor.fm/episodes/meet-series2vec-navid-s-new-way-to-decode-time-series

We're excited to have Prof Shonali Krishnaswamy involved in a new MIME Invent Grant-funded project 'Evidencea' – harnessing AI to enhance outcomes in aged care. Learn more: https://www.monash.edu/mime/projects/all-projects/evidencea-harnessing-ai-to-embed-evidence-and-improve-outcomes-in-aged-care

What's next for the APAC region in terms of digital health? Great to have our AI in health expert Associate Professor Zongyuan Ge share his predictions for 2026. 

Discover them now: https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/asia/whats-next-apac-digital-health-2026

#AI #healthcare #digitalhealth

Discover how life, work and institutions may evolve as quantum innovations emerge: https://www.monash.edu/emerging-tech-research-lab/news-and-events/news/website-launch-of-quantum-futures-collaboration

Explore the insightful research involving our @emergingtechlab.bsky.social

Mentally Healthy Workplaces Australia's first flagship project co-led by Prof Patrick Olivier, Prof Shantha Wilson Rajaratnam and Prof Peter Bragge will deliver a unique evidence base to inform decisions about mitigating psycho-social workplace hazards: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW27quuhoIY

A/Prof Zhaolin Chen's team has received a MICCAI award to support their automated anomaly detection toolkit for ultra-low-field MRI – enhancing access to life-saving imaging: https://miccai.org/index.php/about-miccai/awards/miccai-society-awards-for-the-advancement-of-health-equity/2026-projects/

Happy new year! Wishing everyone an exciting, happy and wondrous 2026.

We can't wait to share the exceptional things to come from our students, researchers, alumni and broader community.

Happy holidays to our wonderful community. Wishing you all a restful break filled with warmth and joy 🌟

Our Industry Experience Studio Projects see teams of IT master's students develop tech solutions for social good.

A great chance for students to gain hands-on experience, and for industry professionals to mentor tomorrow's bright and passionate minds: https://youtu.be/5AvjWBHax_k

Hidden in our smart devices, surveillance has crept into everyday life. Dr Jathan Sadowski shares his expert insights on Opt Out into why simply 'logging off' doesn't cut it anymore: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/downloadthisshow/opt-out-episode-five/105872250

Missed #AUSQRC 2025? Watch the illustrative recap to discover the the focus, discussions and speaker topics of this future-focused workshop sponsored by KPMG, PentenAmio, Senetas, Quantum Australia and Nisient:  https://youtu.be/zyvzNhOwJv0

#cybersecurity

Congratulations to Prof Jianfei Cai and Prof Florian Mueller for becoming @acm.org Distinguished Members!

Awarded to only 61 recipients globally, this honour recognises their world-class research: https://www.monash.edu/it/news/2025/two-faculty-of-it-researchers-named-acm-distinguished-members

The National Indigenous Space Academy is open for 2026!

If you're a First Nations student studying STEM at any uni in Australia, apply to learn at @nasajpl.bsky.social or RAL Space: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1_KsvIh8b9LVoXwWemproIiePftSCxfUl0qUgjxzq8kk/viewform?edit_requested=true

Dunia Medis Bakal Berubah Total, Asia Tenggara Godok Peta Jalan AI Asia Tenggara dan Pasifik Barat siapkan peta jalan teknologi AI untuk bukti medis real-time. Simak selengkapnya!

In CNBC Indonesia – Research co-led by Prof John Grundy to create a real-time AI platform connecting medical practitioners and community with the latest research:

Hear Jeni Lee and Bianca Vallentine from the @emergingtechlab.bsky.social speak about their bold documentary 'Entangled' that delves into AI and the work of the Wilderness Society.

Learn more: https://wilderness-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_aIuxPd_qQL26vTwaa8cDsA#/registration
@admscentre.org.au

Our student Madeleine Neaves attended #COP30 this year, connecting with innovators, advocates, researchers and policymakers working to accelerate the energy transition – including Jacinda Ardern: https://www.monash.edu/energy-institute/news-events/latest-news/articles/2025/cop30-wrap-up

Congratulations to Prof Ron Steinfeld who is involved in the recent Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Mathematics for Quantum Era Security and Trust led by @sydney.edu.au: https://www.monash.edu/news/articles/monash-researchers-to-collaborate-on-four-arc-centres-of-excellence