Dr Yanchao Yu is a Lecturer at the School of Computing Engineering and the Built Environment of Edinburgh Napier University. He earned a BSc from Beijing Information Science and Technology University, an MSc in Software Engineering (Distinction), and a PhD in Artificial Intelligence from Heriot-Watt University (UK). PhD in Artificial Intelligence (Heriot-Watt University) MSc in Software Engineering (Distinction) BSc in Computer Science His research focuses on building smart agents and robots that assist humans in daily tasks through natural conversations. Key areas include: Natural Language Understanding (NLU), Generation (NLG), and Dialogue Management (DM) Visually grounded language learning Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) Machine learning for interactive systems Recent publications emphasize context-aware dialogue systems, visual scene understanding, and ethical challenges in HRI. He leads the EPSRC-funded project Learning from Collaborative Storytelling (2025-2028, £439,581) to enhance robot perception through interactive storytelling. Director of Studies for Lewis Watson's PhD on AI-Driven Conversational Storytelling Co-supervisor for multiple PhD projects including medical training robotics and machine unlearning Previously worked at Heriot-Watt's Interaction Lab (postdoc) and industry roles at Voysis (acquired by Apple) and Alana AI.





