Dr Spyros Samothrakis
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Email
ssamot@essex.ac.uk -
Location
PARKSIDE BLOCK C2, Colchester Campus
Profile
Qualifications
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2014, PhD Computer Science,糖心Vlog
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2007, MSc Intelligent Systems, University of Sussex
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2003, BSc Computer Science, University of Sheffield
Research and professional activities
Research interests
Reinforcement Learning
Machine Learning
Neural Networks
Role Playing Games
Teaching and supervision
Previous supervision
Degree subject: Computer Science
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 1/10/2024
Degree subject: Computer Science
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 20/6/2024
Degree subject: Computer Science
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 16/9/2022
Degree subject: Computer Science
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 16/11/2020
Degree type: Master of Science
Awarded date: 5/10/2016
Publications
Publications (5)
Samothrakis, S., Soemers, DJNJ. and Machlanski, D., (2024). Games of Knightian Uncertainty as AGI testbeds
Soemers, DJNJ., Samothrakis, S., Driessens, K. and Winands, MHM., (2024). Environment Descriptions for Usability and Generalisation in Reinforcement Learning
Machlanski, D., Samothrakis, S. and Clarke, P., (2023). Hyperparameter Tuning and Model Evaluation in Causal Effect Estimation
Machlanski, D., Samothrakis, S. and Clarke, P., (2023). Robustness of Algorithms for Causal Structure Learning to Hyperparameter Choice
Machlanski, D., Samothrakis, S. and Clarke, P., (2022). Undersmoothing Causal Estimators with Generative Trees
Journal articles (32)
Fairbank, M., Prokhorov, D., Barragan-Alcantar, D., Samothrakis, S. and Li, S., (2025). . Neural Networks. 184, 107034-107034
Soemers, D., Samothrakis, S., Driessens, K. and Winands, M., (2025). Environment Descriptions for Usability and Generalisation in Reinforcement Learning. Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Agents and Artificial Intelligence. 3, 983-992
Hughes, L., Dwivedi, YK., Malik, T., Shawosh, M., Albashrawi, MA., Jeon, I., Dutot, V., Appanderanda, M., Crick, T., De鈥�, R., Fenwick, M., Gunaratnege, SM., Jurcys, P., Kar, AK., Kshetri, N., Li, K., Mutasa, S., Samothrakis, S., Wade, M. and Walton, P., (2025). AI Agents and Agentic Systems: A Multi-Expert Analysis. Journal of Computer Information Systems, 1-29
Samothrakis, S., (2024). . AI and Society. 39 (6), 2961-2972
Batsis, A. and Samothrakis, S., (2024). . Expert Systems with Applications. 249, 123541-123541
Long, GEM., Perez-Liebana, D. and Samothrakis, S., (2024). . IEEE Transactions on Games. 16 (4), 927-936
Machlanski, D., Samothrakis, S. and Clarke, P., (2024). . IEEE Access. 12, 38562-38574
Soemers, DJNJ., Samothrakis, S., Piette, 脡. and Stephenson, M., (2023). . Information Sciences. 624, 277-298
Pisheh Var, M., Fairbank, M. and Samothrakis, S., (2023). . Adaptive Behavior. 31 (6), 531-544
Lotun, S., Lamarche, V., Samothrakis, S., Sandstrom, G. and Matran-Fernandez, A., (2022). . Scientific Reports. 12 (1), 16565-
Hernandez, D., Denamganai, K., Devlin, S., Samothrakis, S. and Walker, JA., (2022). . IEEE Transactions on Games. 14 (2), 221-231
Fairbank, M., Samothrakis, S. and Citi, L., (2022). . Journal of Machine Learning Research. 23, 1-46
Dwivedi, YK., Hughes, L., Ismagilova, E., Aarts, G., Coombs, C., Crick, T., Duan, Y., Dwivedi, R., Edwards, J., Eirug, A., Galanos, V., Ilavarasan, PV., Janssen, M., Jones, P., Kar, AK., Kizgin, H., Kronemann, B., Lal, B., Lucini, B., Medaglia, R., Le Meunier-FitzHugh, K., Le Meunier-FitzHugh, LC., Misra, S., Mogaji, E., Sharma, SK., Singh, JB., Raghavan, V., Raman, R., Rana, NP., Samothrakis, S., Spencer, J., Tamilmani, K., Tubadji, A., Walton, P. and Williams, MD., (2021). Artificial Intelligence (AI): Multidisciplinary perspectives on emerging challenges, opportunities, and agenda for research, practice and policy. International Journal of Information Management. 57, 101994-101994
Samothrakis, S., (2021). . PLoS One. 16 (9), e0257399-e0257399
Samothrakis, S., (2020). Open Loop In Natura Economic Planning. CoRR. abs/2005.01539
Salge, C., Short, E., Preuss, M., Samothrakis, S. and Spronck, P., (2020). Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Live Action Role-Playing Games (LARP). 2020 IEEE Conference on Games (CoG). 2020-August, 612-619
Hern谩ndez, D., Denamgana茂, K., Devlin, S., Samothrakis, S. and Walker, JA., (2020). A Comparison of Self-Play Algorithms Under a Generalized Framework.. CoRR. abs/2006.04471
Samothrakis, S., (2018). Viewpoint: Artificial Intelligence and Labour. Proceedings of the Twenty-Seventh International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence. 2018-July, 5652-5655
Samothrakis, S., (2018). Kathryn E. Merrick: Computational models of motivation for game-playing agents: Springer, 2016, 213 pp, ISBN: 978-3-319-33457-8. Genetic Programming and Evolvable Machines. 19 (4), 567-568
Samothrakis, S., (2018). Kathryn E. Merrick: Computational models of motivation for game-playing agents - Springer, 2016, 213 pp, ISBN: 978-3-319-33457-8.. Genet. Program. Evolvable Mach.. 19, 567-568
Samothrakis, S., Fasli, M., Perez, D. and Lucas, S., (2017). . Journal of Global Optimization. 67 (4), 893-907
Tom Vodopivec, Samothrakis, S. and Brank Ster, (2017). . The Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research. 60, 881-936
Samothrakis, S., Perez, D., Lucas, SM. and Rohlfshagen, P., (2016). . IEEE Transactions on Computational Intelligence and AI in Games. 8 (1), 1-12
Perez-Liebana, D., Samothrakis, S., Togelius, J., Schaul, T., Lucas, SM., Couetoux, A., Lee, J., Lim, C-U. and Thompson, T., (2016). . IEEE Transactions on Computational Intelligence and AI in Games. 8 (3), 229-243
Perez, D., Mostaghim, S., Samothrakis, S. and Lucas, SM., (2015). . IEEE Transactions on Computational Intelligence and AI in Games. 7 (4), 347-360
Samothrakis, S. and Fasli, M., (2015). . PLoS One. 10 (11), e0141922-e0141922
Perez, D., Powley, EJ., Whitehouse, D., Rohlfshagen, P., Samothrakis, S., Cowling, PI. and Lucas, SM., (2014). . IEEE Transactions on Computational Intelligence and AI in Games. 6 (1), 31-45
Perez, D., Togelius, J., Samothrakis, S., Rohlfshagen, P. and Lucas, SM., (2014). . IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation. 18 (5), 708-720
Samothrakis, S., Lucas, S., Runarsson, T. and Robles, D., (2013). . IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation. 17 (2), 213-226
Friston, K., Samothrakis, S. and Montague, R., (2012). Active inference and agency: optimal control without cost functions. Biological Cybernetics. 106 (8-9), 523-541
Browne, CB., Powley, E., Whitehouse, D., Lucas, SM., Cowling, PI., Rohlfshagen, P., Tavener, S., Perez, D., Samothrakis, S. and Colton, S., (2012). . IEEE Transactions on Computational Intelligence and AI in Games. 4 (1), 1-43
Samothrakis, S., Robles, D. and Lucas, S., (2011). . IEEE Transactions on Computational Intelligence and AI in Games. 3 (2), 142-154
Book chapters (1)
Samothrakis, S., Perez, D. and Lucas, S., (2019). Training Gradient Boosting Machines Using Curve-Fitting and Information-Theoretic Features for Causal Direction Detection. In: The Springer Series on Challenges in Machine Learning. Editors: . Springer International Publishing. 331- 338. 9783030218096
Conferences (36)
Machlanski, D., Samothrakis, S. and Clarke, P., (2024).
Samothrakis, S., Soemers, DJNJ. and Machlanski, D., (2024). Games of Knightian Uncertainty as AGI testbeds
Pisheh Var, M., Fairbank, M. and Samothrakis, S., (2023).
Long, GEM., Perez-Liebana, D. and Samothrakis, S., (2023). Balancing Wargames through Predicting Unit Point Costs
Quteineh, H., Samothrakis, S. and Sutcliffe, R., (2022).
Samothrakis, S., Matran-Fernandez, A., Abdullahi, U., Fairbank, M. and Fasli, M., (2022).
Raza, H., Chowdhury, A., Bhattacharyya, S. and Samothrakis, S., (2020).
Quteineh, H., Samothrakis, S. and Sutcliffe, R., (2020).
Salge, C., Short, E., Preuss, M., Samothrakis, S. and Spronck, P., (2020). Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Live Action Role-Playing Games (LARP).
Abdullahi, UI., Samothrakis, S. and Fasli, M., (2020). Causal Inference with Correlation Alignment
Raza, H. and Samothrakis, S., (2019). Bagging Adversarial Neural Networks for Domain Adaptation in Non-Stationary EEG
Rajalingam, VR. and Samothrakis, S., (2019). Neuroevolution Strategies for Word Embedding Adaptation in Text Adventure Games
Hernandez, D., Denamganai, K., Gao, Y., York, P., Devlin, S., Samothrakis, S. and Walker, JA., (2019). A Generalized Framework for Self-Play Training
Sankarpandi, SK., Samothrakis, S., Citi, L. and Brady, P., (2019). Active learning without unlabeled samples: generating questions and labels using Monte Carlo Tree Search
Alshahrani, M., Samothrakis, S. and Fasli, M., (2019). Identifying idealised vectors for emotion detection using CMA-ES
Samothrakis, S., (2018). Viewpoint: Artificial Intelligence and Labour.
Samothrakis, S., Vodopivec, T., Fairbank, M. and Fasli, M., (2017).
Alshahrani, M., Samothrakis, S. and Fasli, M., (2017). Word mover's distance for affect detection
Abdullahi, U., Samothrakis, S. and Fasli, M., (2017). Counterfactual domain adversarial training of neural networks
Abdullahi, UI., Samothrakis, S. and Fasli, M., (2017). Counterfactual Domain Adversarial Training of Neural Networks
Alshahrani, M., Samothrakis, S. and Fasli, M., (2017). Word Mover's Distance for Affect Detection
Perez-Liebana, D., Samothrakis, S., Togelius, J., Lucas, SM. and Schaul, T., (2016).
Samothrakis, S., Vodopivec, T., Fasli, M. and Fairbank, M., (2016).
Perez-Liebana, D., Samothrakis, S., Togelius, J., Schaul, T. and Lucas, SM., (2016).
Samothrakis, S., Perez-Liebana, D., Lucas, SM. and Fasli, M., (2015).
Lucas, SM., Samothrakis, S. and P茅rez, D., (2014).
Perez, D., Powley, E., Whitehouse, D., Samothrakis, S., Lucas, S. and Cowling, PI., (2014).
Perez, D., Samothrakis, S. and Lucas, S., (2014).
Samothrakis, S., Roberts, SA., Perez, D. and Lucas, SM., (2014).
Perez, D., Samothrakis, S., Lucas, S. and Rohlfshagen, P., (2013). Rolling horizon evolution versus tree search for navigation in single-player real-time games
Perez, D., Samothrakis, S. and Lucas, S., (2013).
Ashlock, D., Ashlock, W., Samothrakis, S., Lucas, S. and Lee, C., (2012).
Samothrakis, S. and Lucas, S., (2011).
Samothrakis, S., Rob, D. and Lucas, SM., (2010).
Samothrakis, S. and Lucas, SM., (2010).
(1991). Proceedings of the 29th annual meeting on Association for Computational Linguistics -
Reports and Papers (1)
Fairbank, M., Samothrakis, S. and Citi, L., (2021).
Grants and funding
2025
Spyros Samothrakis Turing and UoE Consultancy Project
Alan Turing Institute
Element-compositor methods for out-of-distribution machine learning
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
2024
ESRC Research Centre on Micro-Social Change
Economic and Social Research Council
2023
To design and deliver a database architecture for ingestion of a broad range of historical and future data, and to provide first-in-sector analysis on identification of relationships between key datapoints and datastreams to derive novel ecological conclusions for commercially advantageous purposes.
Innovate UK (formerly Technology Strategy Board)
2022
National Theatre Archive data analysis innovation voucher
The Royal National Theatre
2021
G's Growers KTP Application
Innovate UK (formerly Technology Strategy Board)
Cancer Pathways
Mid and South 糖心Vlog NHS Foundation Trust
2020
PREQIN KTP2 Application - March 2020 resubmission
Preqin KTP 2
PREQIN KTP2 Application - March 2020 resubmission
Preqin KTP 2
2019
The Research Centre on Micro-Social Change (MiSoC)
Economic and Social Research Council
The development of a new CPD tracker using AI and embedded machine learning to track and enhance performance of all staff.
Innovate UK (formerly Technology Strategy Board)
Orbital Media IV (EIRA)
Orbital Media & Advertising Ltd
The Research Centre on Micro-Social Change (MiSoC)
Economic and Social Research Council
The Research Centre on Micro-Social Change (MiSoC)
Economic and Social Research Council
2018
Discovering Individual and Social Preferences through Inverse Reinforcement Learning
Economic and Social Research Council
Develop AI methods to optimise interactions with customers.
Innovate UK (formerly Technology Strategy Board)
2017
The project investigates the use of algorithms (genetic + reinforcement) to provide accurate forecasts of asset prices.
Innovate UK (formerly Technology Strategy Board)
Embedding a Machine Learning capability into the Hood Group Ltd platform.
Innovate UK (formerly Technology Strategy Board)
IAA ECC Challenge Lab project - Community inclusion
Catalyst Project (HEFCE Funding)
Create new methods of capturing insight from current and future Preqin datasets by embedding AI and Machine Learning techniques across the unique Preqin investor platform.
Prequin
Create new methods of capturing insight from current and future Preqin datasets by embedding AI and Machine Learning techniques across the unique Preqin investor platform.
Prequin
The project investigates the use of algorithms (genetic + reinforcement) to provide accurate forecasts of asset prices.
Innovate UK (formerly Technology Strategy Board)
To embed a NLP capability in Objective IT
Innovate UK (formerly Technology Strategy Board)
To embed a NLP capability in Objective IT
Innovate UK (formerly Technology Strategy Board)
2016
67% Embedding an innovative application of advanced data mining, data analytics and data visualisation to exploit the growth potential of the UK's leading insight platform for professional services firms
Technology STrategy Board
33% Embedding an innovative application of advanced data mining, data analytics and data visualisation to exploit the growth potential of the UK's leading insight platform for professional services firms
Mondaq Ltd
67% - The design and development of a scalable, avatar based, digital healthcare platform, driven by AI and Machine Learning technology.
Technology STrategy Board
33% - The design and development of a scalable, avatar based, digital healthcare platform, driven by AI and Machine Learning technology.
Orbital Media & Advertising Ltd.
Scoping Exercise for new data product
Hood Group Ltd
2015
67% - To extend the business intelligence and digital marketing offer by developing and embedding a new data analytics capability
Technology STrategy Board
33% - To extend the business intelligence and digitial marketing offer by developing and embedding a new data analytics capability
Objective Computing Ltd
