Dan Gill
What's your thesis title?
Identification of Interactive Motion Patterns in Neurodivergent Children and Adults.
Can you summarise your research in one sentence?
Using a robotic system to experimentally investigate how neurodivergent people interact with technology and other humans in order to create systems with neurodivergent interactions in mind.
What made you want to study for a PhD?
Over the course of my BSc and MSc degrees, I’ve gained an appreciation of the work that goes into research, and the positive impact it can have on people’s lives. I’ve really enjoyed being able to conduct smaller research projects throughout my degrees, particularly on subjects that mean a great deal to me personally: such as those supporting neurodivergent and/or disabled people in their everyday lives.
When the opportunity to apply for a neurodivergent-targeted human-robot interaction project came along, I knew it was perfect for me and put myself forward. After many hours of application tweaking and mock interviews, I was thrilled to get the place.
Why did you choose to do your doctoral research at QMUL?
Having previously studied at QMUL, I knew it was the perfect place for me to work on my PhD, and it was a no-brainer to stay here when the opportunity came along.
Being autistic, the support provided through the university’s wonderful Disability and Dyslexia Service (DDS) was, and continues to be, vital in ensuring I’m able to work at my best. Connections with students and staff was another key factor – lecturers who once taught me are now those who I work with on a regular basis.
How does your research group support you?
I’m a member of the Cognitive Science research group, one of the largest within EECS. Being widespread, including experts in conversational analysis, cognitive modelling, and computational linguistics, means that opportunities for fascinating discussion and collaboration are bound to occur.
What's a typical research day look like for you?
I’m usually in the office for the morning, before working from home in the afternoon, grabbing some lunch on my way back. My timetable’s rigid routine is, however, juxtaposed by the varied tasks that need completing. On the day I write this, my main goal is to start spreading the word of my latest study to potential participants, followed by preparing the plan for the first focus groups and writing a report for a recent workshop. This is alongside the reading of academic literature and managing emails - the mainstay of the PhD experience.
What's been your most exciting research experience so far?
This requires a small bit of context… alongside my own work, I wanted to use my position as a neurodivergent researcher studying neurodivergence to bring other neurodivergent people and their voices into the research process. To this end, my supervisor and I created the MINDS Network (Mutual Inclusion through Neurodiversity in Science), in the hopes to bring together neurodivergent people, researchers, and neurodivergent researchers.
On Thursday 3rd April 2025, we held our first ever workshop session, with fantastic talks from academics and neurodivergent people in lots of different areas, prompting fantastic discussion and questions. We surpassed our target for attendees and the event ran smoothly – certainly one of the highlights of my PhD so far!
Any advice for anyone about to start their PhD journey?
I’m only 7 months in as I write this, so my biggest piece of advice is to listen to someone else with more wisdom and experience! If you insist on listening to me, however, I would strongly recommend getting into an effective routine that works for you.