Ajaz Ahmad Bhat's Profile
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Biography:
Dr. Ajaz Ahmad Bhat leads research in cognitive robotics, AI, and brain-inspired computing systems. His work focuses on developing intelligent robots that can learn, reason, and adapt like biological systems. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Intelligent Robotics at the Faculty of Digital Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Brunei, and a visiting researcher at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Japan. Prior to this posting, he worked as a Senior Research Associate at the University of East Anglia, UK, and then as an Assistant Professor at the University of Twente, Netherlands. Ajaz’s research interests lie at the intersection of intelligent robotics, cognitive sciences, and consumer technologies with a special focus on understanding and designing developmental and cumulative learning systems. His research outputs have been published in more than 15 journal articles with some of them in top-tier journals such as Psychological Review and Autonomous Robots. His work on Causal Learning in Robots was covered in top conferences like ICML and by media outlets such as BBC. He has been involved in multiple international research projects such as EU’s FP7 DARWIN and NIH’s WOLVES. Ajaz retains memberships of both IEEE and APS societies in addition to holding a Ph.D. in Cognitive Robotics from the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Italy.
Research Interests:
- Cognitive Robotics
- Artificial Intelligence
- Machine Learning
- Neural Networks
Detailed Research Areas:
AI robots for goal-directed motor control, creative reasoning, causal learning.
Cognition-inspired intelligent systems and cognitive child development.
Memory and attention-guided neural networks and interpretable AI.
Knowledge graphs, multi-agent systems and persuasive machine learning.
Education:
PhD in Cognitive Robotics & AI
Institution: IIT, University of Genoa, Italy
Duration: Jan 2013 - Dec 2015
Advisors: Vishwanathan Mohan & Pietro Morasso
Thesis: Towards a Brain-like MΞMϽRY for Cognitive Robots
Masters in Computer Applications
Institution: University of Kashmir, India
Duration: Mar 2007 - Jun 2010
Advisor: Rana Hashmy
Thesis: Character Recognition in Neural Networks: A Mixed-Methods Approach
Bachelors in Physical Sciences
Institution: University of Kashmir, India
Duration: Mar 2004 - Feb 2007
Work Experience:
Assistant Professor
Institution: School of Digital Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Brunei
Duration: Jan 2021 - Present
Role: Research and grant writing on cognitive robotics, control and AI for agriculture, social services, and industry. Design and teaching of masters and bachelors’ courses. Doctoral, master’s & bachelors thesis supervision and administrative charges.
Additional Leadership: Programme Leader for AI and Robotics, Applied AI, and Data Science programmes. Program design, execution, teaching, and research leadership.
Adjunct Professor
Institution: Faculty of Psychology, Open University Cyprus, Cyprus
Duration: Aug 2023 - Jan 2024
Role: Design and teaching of master's course on Cognitive Agents and Reasoning. Thesis supervision.
Assistant Professor
Institution: Technology & Data-Analytics Group, University of Twente, Netherlands
Duration: Nov 2020 - Jan 2021
Role: Research on intelligent control of learning systems for perception, action, and behaviour planning. Design and teaching of masters and bachelors courses.
Staff Scientist
Institution: Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), Japan
Duration: Aug 2020 - Nov 2021
Role: Research on development of embodied cognition on neurorobotics platforms exploring compositionality in perception, action, and imagination.
Senior Research Associate
Institution: School of Psychology, University of East Anglia, UK
Duration: Nov 2016 - Aug 2020
Role: Lead researcher on NIH project investigating grounded language learning using dynamical neural networks modelling and empirical analysis of eye-movements, object representations and attentional mechanisms. Bachelors’ thesis supervision.
Research Fellow
Institution: RBCS, Italian Institute of Technology, Italy
Duration: Jan 2016 - Jun 2016
Role: Researcher in EU-FP7 project employing dynamical neural models to enable action control, action imagination and perspective-taking in robots, enabling robot-robot and human-robot collaborations in service and manufacturing industry.
Junior Research Fellow
Institution: S N Bose National Centre of Basic Sciences, India
Duration: Aug 2010 - Jul 2012
Role: Researcher on a DST national project for designing game-theoretic models of competitive learning and emergent behaviours in dynamically interacting motor and social systems.
Industrial Experience:
Visiting Graduate Student Researcher
Institution: Profactor GmbH, Austria
Duration: 2013 - 2015
Role: Lead researcher for development and testing of AI technologies on Staubli robots under the EU-FP7 project DARWIN for assembly line manufacturing.
Grants, Achievements & Impact:
Leverhulme UK Funded Grant
Title: Process Theory of Vocabulary Variability
Duration: 2025-2029
Total Funding: £450,000
Role: Co-PI (International)
iUNRC PRC Funded Grant
Title: A Dynamical Systems Reengineering of the Role of Attention and Memory in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Duration: 2025-2027
Total Funding: Yuan 420,000
Role: Principal Investigator
UBD FRC Grant
Title: Whole-Body Task-Driven Synergetic Motor Planning and Control of Stretch Robot
Duration: 2025-2026
Total Funding: BND $20,200
Role: Principal Investigator
UBD URG Grant
Title: Enhancing Research and Innovation Capacity through HPC Implementation at Universiti Brunei Darussalam
Duration: 2025-2026
Total Funding: BND $160,000
Role: Member
NIH, US Funded Grant
Title: The Dynamics of Visual Attention and Word Learning
Duration: 2016-2022
Total Funding: £996,614.00
Role: Postdoctoral Researcher
Recognition & Media
2020: Special Recognition Award from University of East Anglia, UK for Pe’nd Online community engagement project in Kashmir
2020: Work on causal learning in humanoid robots featured by BBC in “Science in Action” Programme
Publications & Features
2016: Article on Aesop’s Fable featured as cover page of Journal of Royal Society Interface
2012: Article featured in Kaleidoscope section of Physical Review E-Journal (Jan 2012 issue)
Fellowships
2016: Thesis Completion Fellowship, IIT Genova, Italy
2013-2015: Doctoral Fellowship, University of Genova, Italy
2013-2015: EU FP7 Grant “DARWIN” - Member (£300,000)
2012: Research Fellowship & Lecturer-ship Eligibility Award, University Grants Commission, India
2012: Senior Research Fellowship, Department of Science and Technology, SNBNCBS, India
2010-2012: Junior Research Fellowship, Department of Science and Technology, SNBNCBS, India
Awards
2012: 3rd Best Talk of the Festival Award, Bose Fest 2012, SNBNCBS Kolkata, India
Teaching & Mentoring:
Teaching
Institutions: University of Twente, Netherlands; Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Brunei
Courses: Robotics Control, Cognitive Robotics, AI in Robotics, Algorithms & Data Structures, Software Engineering (Bachelor and Masters level)
Role: Course Design, Teaching, and Evaluation
Mentoring
Institutions: Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Brunei; University of East Anglia, UK
Student Supervision: 2 PhDs, 4 Research Masters, 12 Bachelor project students, and over 20 interns and mentees
Professional Services:
Founding Member
Organization: Pe’nd Online
Duration: 2020 - Present
Description: A digital networking platform for Kashmiris
Memberships
- 2018 - Present: Member, The Cognitive Science Society
- 2018 - Present: Member, IEEE RAS Technical Committee for Cognitive Robotics
Organizing Roles
- 2018: Organizer, Pint of Science Festival (Norwich) - Public dissemination of scientific research
- 2018: Workshop Organizer, CogSci 2018 - “On Dynamical Field Theory”
Reviewer
Duration: 2014 - Present
Reviewed for:
- Neural Networks
- ICRA
- ICLR
- IEEE TCDS
- IEEE TASE
- PLOS Computational Biology
- Cognitive Science
- CogSci
- ICDL-EPIROB
- Living Machines
- ...and more
List of Publications:
2025
- Gul H. Naim A.G., & Bhat, A. A. MuCoS: Efficient Drug-Target Discovery via Multi-Context-Aware Sampling in Knowledge Graphs. BioNLP Workshop, ACL 2025, Vienna.
- Gul H. Naim A.G., & Bhat, A. A. Evaluating Cumulative Spectral Gradient as a Complexity Measure. MuslML Workshop, ICML 2025, Vancouver.
- Gul H. Naim A.G., & Bhat, A. A. MuCo-KGC: Multi-Context-Aware Knowledge Graph Completion. PAKDD 2025.
2024
- Gul H., & Bhat, A. A. A Contextualized BERT Model for Knowledge Graph Completion. MuslML Workshop, NeurIPS 2024, Vancouver.
- Bhat, A. A., Spencer, J. P., & Samuelson, L. K. Similarity in Object Properties Supports Cross-Situational Word Learning. CogSci 2024, Rotterdam.
2023
- Bhat A. A., Spencer J. P., Samuelson L. K. Formal Theories Clarify the Complex. Child Development. DOI: 10.1111/cdev.14023
2022
- Bhat A. A., Spencer J. P., Samuelson L. K. WOLVES: A Neural Process Account of Cross-Situational Word Learning. Psychological Review. DOI: 10.1037/rev0000313
2020
- Bhat A. A., Mohan V. Causal Learning by a Robot with Semantic-Episodic Memory. ICLR, Addis Ababa. arXiv
- Bhat, A. A., Spencer, J. P., & Samuelson, L. K. Metric Variation in Object Shapes and Colours. OSF Pre-registry
- Bhat, A. A., Spencer, J. P., & Samuelson, L. K. Stimulus Exposure Times and Looking Behaviours. OSF Pre-registry
2019
- Mohan V., Bhat A. A., Morasso P. Muscle-less Motor Synergies. Physics of Life Reviews. DOI
- Mohan V., Morasso P., Bhat A. A. Complementarity of Motor Synergies. Physics of Life Reviews. DOI
2018
- Bhat A. A., Mohan V. Goal Directed Reasoning in Robots. Cognitive Computation. DOI
- Mohan V., & Bhat A. A. Joint Goal Human-Robot Collaboration. BICA 2017, Procedia Computer Science. DOI
- Bhat A. A., Spencer J. P., Samuelson L. K. Dynamic Neural Field Model. CogSci 2018. Full Paper
2016
- Bhat A. A., Mohan V., Akkaladevi S. C., et al. Neural Body Schema for Robots. Autonomous Robots. Link
- Bhat A. A., Mohan V., Sandini G., Morasso P. Humanoid Robot Infers Archimedes’ Principle. Journal of the Royal Society Interface. Link
2015
- Bhat A. A., Mohan V. Tool Use Imitation in iCub. In Biomimetic and Biohybrid Systems. DOI
2014
- Bhat A. A., Mohan V., Rea F., et al. Episodic Memory for Developmental Robots. ICDL-EPIROB 2014. IEEE
- Mohan V., Bhat A. A., Morasso P., Sandini G. Learning Causally Dominant Properties. BICA. DOI
2012
- Bhat A. A., Mehta A. Dynamics of Competitive Learning. Physical Review E. DOI
2011
- Bhat A. A., Mahajan G., Mehta A. Network of Competing Synapses. PLoS ONE. DOI
List of Upcoming Works:
2025
- Bhat A. A. Dynamic Population Sizing in Metaheuristic Optimization. Under preparation for IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation.
- Bhat A. A. & Gul H. k-Connected GNNs: Leveraging High-Degree Neighbours and Heterogeneity for Knowledge Graph Completion. Prepared for ICLR 2026.
- Sarih A., Hong O. & Bhat A. A. An Assessment of the Learning Capacities of Growing Neural Networks under Gradient Optimization. In preparation for AAAI 2026, Singapore.
- Gul H. & Bhat A. A. Cumulative Spectral Gradient as a Complexity Measure in Knowledge Graph Completion. Prepared for AAAI 2026, Singapore.
- Gul H. & Bhat A. A. EDAS Metric for Knowledge Graph Completion Model Ranking. Submitted to the 17th Asian Conference on Machine Learning (ACML 2025).
- Bhat A. A., Spencer J. P., & Samuelson L. K. Effect of Metric Variation in Object Shapes and Colours on Cross-Situational Word Learning in Adults. In preparation for Cognitive Science.
- Bhat A. A. & Mohan V. Creative Problem-Solving in Robots using Constructive Episodic Simulations. Under review for IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication.
- Bhat A. A. & Mohan V. Bending it Like Betty: From Memory to Creativity in Cognitive Robotics. Under preparation for Science Robotics.
- Mohan V. & Bhat A. A. Why Human Tools, Scripts and Skills Are the Way They Are? Insights from Teaching Motor Skills to Humanoid Robots. Under review for IEEE Transactions on Cognitive and Developmental Systems (TCDS).
List of Conference Abstracts, Workshops & Invited Talks:
2024
- Samuelson, L.K., Bhat, A.A., & Spencer, J.P. To Look or Not to Look: Insights and Predictions from a Process Model of Word-Object Interactions. XXIV International Congress of Infant Studies (ICIS 2024), Vienna.
- Samuelson, L.K., Bhat, A.A., & Spencer, J.P. Words in Time: How Timing of Words, Objects, and Response Requests Influences Word Learning. International Convention on Psychological Science, Brussels.
2023
- Bhat A. A. Cognitive Systems Approach to Intelligent Robotics. ICRIET - 2K23 [Invited Keynote Talk].
- Samuelson, L.K., Bhat, A.A., & Spencer, J.P. Words in Time. Symposium Talk, ICPS Brussels.
2022
- Samuelson, L.K., Bhat, A.A., & Spencer, J.P. WOLVES: A Neural Process Account of Visual Exploration and Word Learning. ICIS 2022, Ottawa.
2021
- Bhat, A. A., Spencer, J.P., & Samuelson, L.K. WOLVES: A Process Model of Cross-Situational Word Learning. SRCD 2021 [Talk].
2020
- Bhat, A. A., Spencer, J.P., & Samuelson, L.K. Developmental Changes in Word Learning Behaviour. LCICD 2020, Lancaster UK [Talk].
2019
- Samuelson, L.K., Spencer, J.P., Colosimo, L., & Bhat, A.A. Developmental Changes in Word Learning. SRCD 2019, Baltimore USA [Poster].
2018
- Bhat, A. A. Thirsty Crows, Cognitive Robots and Attentive Babies. ICDL-EpiRob 2018, Tokyo [Invited Talk].
- Bhat, A. A., Spencer, J.P., & Samuelson, L.K. Lexical Vacuum Cleaners. BPS East of England Conference, UEA Norwich [Talk].
- Buss, A.T., Perone, S., & Bhat, A.A. Dynamic Field Theory Foundations. CogSci 2018, Madison [Workshop].
- Bhat, A. A. Dynamic Field Theory for Higher Cognition. CogSci 2018, Madison [Invited Tutorial Talk].
- Bhat, A. A., Spencer, J.P., & Samuelson, L.K. Language Acquisition and Visual Dynamics. BICA 2018, Prague [Talk].
- Bhat, A. A. Early Word Learning. DFT Bootcamp, EFT 2018, Norwich UK [Invited Talk].
- Bhat, A. A. Multiscale Dynamics of Looking and Learning. ETF 2018, Norwich UK [Invited Talk].
2017
- Spencer, J.P., Bhat, A.A., Colosimo, L., & Samuelson, L.K. WOLVES: A Dynamic Neural Field Model. SRCD 2017, Austin TX [Talk].
- Bhat, A.A., Spencer, J.P., & Samuelson, L.K. Novelty-Attention Interactions. Lorentz Center Workshop, Leiden [Poster].
- Bhat, A.A. Memory Clouds for Future Robots. Workshop on AI and Cloud Computing, Srinagar [Keynote Talk].
- Bhat, A.A., Colosimo, L., Spencer, J.P., & Samuelson, L.K. Novelty in Early Word Learning. UEA Conference on Novelty & the Brain, Norwich UK [Poster].
2015
- Bhat, A.A., Mohan, V. Tool Use Imitation in iCub. Living Machines 2015, Barcelona [Poster].
2012
- Bhat, A.A., Mehta, A. Dynamics of Competitive Learning. Bose Fest 2012, Kolkata [Talk].