Below are links to presentations by Prof Graham Williams. Topics covered range from Data Sovereignty, Privacy, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science, and Open Source Software.

A Paradigm Shift for Data Collection and Sovereignty
Indigenous Health Data and Clinical Trials

2 December 2025: An online presentation to the end-of-year research forum, School of Computer, Data and Mathematical Sciences (CDMS), Western Sydney University

Abstract: AI, Machine Learning, and Data Science rely on data, and today on massive amounts of data. Over the years we have increasingly been willing to hand over our data in exchange for often small yet compelling personal benefits. We have become complacent with ceding our data to big tech. Reflecting on Tim Berners-Lee original vision of individual empowerment through the world wide web we have come to realise the increasing importance of that vision. In this talk I introduce our current research and development focus toward recovering data sovereignty. Learning lessons from how indigenous knowledge considers data sovereignty and recognising the current epidemic of daily and often massive data breaches, I will present our research, development, and challenges in recovering our data sovereignty and introduce the Solid protocol underpinning this work. After introducing the concept I will illustrate our research through a prototype system developed for the Gurriny Yealamucka Health Services Aboriginal Corporation in Yarrabah, and the deployment of our research to support clinical trials with a German medical device manufacturer (https://solidcommunity.au). I will also present our current research directions and challenges we face.

Gurriny Health Pods - A Trial of Personal Online Databases for Health Data in Yarrabah Indigenous Community

27 November 2025: In person presentation to the Health and Social Good session of the 23rd Australasian Data Science and Machine Learning Conference (AusDM25), Brisbane, Australia.

Abstract:

Rio - a Personal Online Database Solution for Patient Owned and Controlled Clinical Trial Data Storage

27 November 2025: In person presentation to the Health and Social Good session of the 23rd Australasian Data Science and Machine Learning Conference (AusDM25), Brisbane, Australia.

Abstract:

Personal Online Data Stores - A Paradigm Shift for Data Collection

19 August 2025: An online presentation for the Architecture, Design and Security Branch of the Strategy, Digital and Data Division, of the Chief Operating Officer Group to the portfolio of the Department of Home Affairs, Australia.

Abstract: The Software Innovation Institute of the ANU is focused on innovative approaches for the development of applications with a privacy first philosophy. Data collected by applications to support individuals should remain under the secure control of the individual who can then choose with whom and what other apps they share their data. By distributing data to the extreme – to the individual – the risk of otherwise centralised data breaches can be reduced. We are developing demonstrator apps to address the many challenges presented by such distributed data hosted privately and securely in an individual’s personal online data store (pod), also known as data wallets and data vaults. In this talk I will overview the current privacy challenges and our work with the Solid protocol, as developed by Tim Berners-Lee (the inventor of the World Wide Web), for protecting individual privacy. I will also introduce our open source prototype apps for demonstrating individual data privacy, sharing of individual data, and AI and ML applications over distributed and private data (https://solidcommunity.au).

Gurriny - ANU: Solid Health Pods

9 March 2023: An in person presentation to the Te Rourou Tātaritanga Symposium (PDF) on Our Data Sources as a Strategic National Asset, Aotearoa New Zealand, Thursday 9 March 2023, Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand, Wellington.

Abstract: A talk on Personal Online Data Stores (PODS) and the Gurriny Yealamucka Health Service Aboriginal Corporation.

Administrative Data and the Individual
A Vision for Tomorrow's Applied Data Systems

10 March 2023: An invited presentation to the Te Rourou Tātaritanga Workshop (PDF) on A Vision for Tomorrow's Applied Data Systems, Aotearoa New Zealand, Friday 10 March 2023, Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand, Wellington.

Abstract: Presenting a vision for privacy through Personal Online Data Stores (PODS).

FOSSASIA 2019 Talk on Accessible Machine Learning with MLHub

FOSSASIA 2019 Panel Discussion on Open Opportunities

FOSSASIA 2018 Panel Discussion on AI

FOSSASIA Summit 2018, Singapore Lifelong Learning Institute

FOSSASIA Summit 2018, Singapore Lifelong Learning Institute

FOSSASIA Summit 2018, Singapore Lifelong Learning Institute

FOSSASIA Summit 2018, Singapore Lifelong Learning Institute

Seven tips for a Data Scientist

I was interviewed when visiting Hong Kong in July 2017 about the emerging AI and Machine Learning trends, and the general area of Data Science. Here’s three snippets. A longer and produced video is available but requires registration. The interview is subtitled in Chinese.

Data Science Certification Course in Mandarin for Taiwan

Machine Learning using Open Source R – FOSS Asia 2017

FOSSAsia held in March each year is one of those conferences full of energy, with open source developers sitting in the corridors updating and releasing new software “in the moment.” It was a great experience and nice to have had the opportunity to speak.

Microsoft Developer Day

Developer Days were a series of developer events held across South East Asia. Microsoft’s CEO, Satya Nadella, had the opportunity to share his vision for an open source driven organisation. Developer audiences numbering over 1000 in the different venues. Dr Graham Williams followed up Satya’s presentation with a look at Data Science. Here’s his presentation in Singapore: Dev Day in Singapore with Satya Nadella – Microsoft Developer Day – 29 May 2016

And a similar event in Bangkok, Thailand

Other Presentations