Bey Alivand
Bey Alivand is a PhD candidate in the University of Sydney Business School.
My research explores the design of accessible, adaptive AI-driven digital humans that support individuals living with acquired brain injury (ABI) in their daily lives post-recovery. In Australia alone, 1 in 45 people currently live with this condition. Yet, technological support is limited once they leave the clinic, making this research vital.
I am currently in my third year, and I expect to submit my thesis in September 2027.
I very deliberately came to the University of Sydney because that is where my supervisor worked. I’d been working in the IT industry for over a decade. After seeing Mike on TV, I was so mesmerised by his research and vision that I reached out directly and asked to be his PhD student.
This journey has also taught me one ultimate truth: failure doesn’t actually exist; it is simply a lesson learned.
Bey Alivand
PhD candidate in the University of Sydney Business School
Coming from an industry background himself, Mike had already successfully navigated the exact path I was on.
I was specifically drawn to his forward-looking thinking and the incredible work at Motus Lab, a unique space that bridges cutting-edge tech with real-world impact.
Beyond his academic and industry brilliance, Mike is an exceptional mentor who is deeply committed to his students' wellbeing and success.
Pursuing a PhD at the University of Sydney is a massive intellectual and emotional shift. It strips away everything you think you know and forces you to rebuild your understanding from the ground up. Despite the heavy workload, the support networks are exceptional and navigating this journey under Mike’s supervision at the University of Sydney means I am never doing it alone.
What I enjoy most about my studies comes down to two things: the opportunity to read extensively, which I value as an avid reader, and the intellectual freedom to explore my research in depth.
The biggest surprise during my studies so far has been how much the PhD changes you as a person, not just your resume or academic profile. I had to unlearn the old ways of thinking, working and become comfortable with uncertainty and unknowns. This journey has also taught me one ultimate truth: failure doesn’t actually exist; it is simply a lesson learned. You face setbacks and roadblocks, but you use them to pivot and grow.
I want to be an engaged researcher like Mike, combining rigorous research with a genuine commitment to real-world impact, and I hope one day I'll become that kind of scholar.
What I enjoy most about my studies comes down to two things: the opportunity to read extensively, which I value as an avid reader, and the intellectual freedom to explore my research in depth.
Bey Alivand
PhD candidate, University of Sydney Business School
Dr Mike Seymour
Dr Mike Seymour is a researcher in digital innovation at the University of Sydney Business School and a member of the University of Sydney Nano Institute. His work in the media and entertainment industry earned an AFI Award and Primetime Emmy nomination.
I research AI-driven digital humans: realistic virtual agents that can communicate and interact with people in meaningful ways. My work examines how these technologies can be designed to be trustworthy, ethical, and genuinely beneficial, particularly in contexts such as healthcare, accessibility, education, and media.
I am director of the Motus Lab in the School of Strategy, Innovation and Technology, where our research connects rigorous academic theory with real-world industry practice. Before moving into academia, I spent decades working in film, visual effects, and emerging media, which gives my research a distinctive combination of practical production experience and scholarly inquiry.
I currently supervise four higher degree by research (HDR) candidates, and my first ever PhD candidate, Shaoxin Wang, completed her degree at the start of this year. I have also supervised students at masters and honours level.
I am genuinely proud of the students I work with.
One of the great privileges of supervision is engaging with their energy, ambition, and fresh ways of thinking.
Much of our work focuses on emerging technologies and forward-looking innovation, so these candidates are not just studying the future; they are helping to shape it.
I returned to academia with a clear purpose: to contribute meaningful research and to help inspire the next generation of scholars. Supervision is one of the most direct ways to do both.
Mike and Bey work with Heads Together, Australia's only youth-specific brain injury organisation. Pictured: Hailey Barber McKirdy, Bey Alivand, Kate Heine and Dr Mike Seymour (from left) are co-designing a digital human program to support young people after brain injury. Photo supplied.
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LinkBey’s project sits brilliantly at the intersection of many of the things I care about most in digital human research.
Dr Mike Seymour
University of Sydney Business School
There is something deeply rewarding about working alongside a candidate as they grow from being a student into an independent knowledge creator. One of the best moments in supervision, is when a PhD candidate stops deferring to you and starts confidently defending their own ideas. I also believe strongly in pastoral care as part of supervision.
A PhD is not just about publications or milestones; it is about the development of the whole person.
Bey’s project sits brilliantly at the intersection of many of the things I care about most in digital human research. The project uses design science research to co-design adaptive digital human interactions with people living with Acquired Brain Injury, not simply for them.
That distinction matters. The work embeds lived experience directly into the design process by involving ABI patients, carers, and clinicians as genuine collaborators. Doing that rigorously, ethically, and with real engagement is not easy, and Bey’s commitment to this approach from the outset was very compelling.
The potential impact is significant. Bey has great skills in both research and especially design – and I really respect good design.
If digital humans can help improve communication, planning, confidence, and social participation for people in vulnerable situations, then the research matters well beyond the lab. That is exactly the kind of work I believe universities should be doing.
My advice to anyone pursuing a PhD is to protect your curiosity.
It’s easy to become so focused on milestones, word counts, deadlines, and publication targets that you lose sight of why you became excited about your topic in the first place.
A PhD is long, and there will always be difficult patches but the researchers I have seen thrive remain genuinely curious about their question, and still find some enjoyment in the process. Methods, writing, and theory can all be developed over time. The curiosity has to come from you.
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Photo credit: University of Sydney / Fiona Wolf