Two Manchester Professors land funding council roles
16 May 2025
Congratulations to Dave O'Brien and Richard Allmendinger – supporting arts and AI investment initiatives at UK Research and Innovation.
Two Manchester academics have been appointed to roles at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
Professor Dave O'Brien has been appointed an advisory board member of the funding body Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and Professor Richard Allmendinger has been appointed an Innovate UK BridgeAI Independent Scientific Advisor at The Alan Turing Institute.
Dave, Professor of Creative and Cultural Industries in the Department of Art History and Cultural Practices at the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, is one of 11 new Board members at AHRC.
Director of Research, Strategy, Innovation Arts and Humanities Research Council at the UKRI, Jaideep Gupte said: “Together, they bring decades of experience drawn from higher education, the creative industries, cultural institutions, and beyond – ensuring that the broadest spectrum of perspectives is represented. Their participation will help shape bold, forward-thinking grant opportunities and represent the interests of our community. I’m hugely looking forward to working with them!”
Dave said: "I'm delighted to be appointed to the AHRC advisory board. It is a challenging time for arts and humanities, yet arts and humanities has never been more crucial to understanding and addressing global social, political and cultural issues. I'm hopeful that my expertise and hard work can support AHRC in the coming years."
Richard, Professor of Applied Artificial Intelligence, and Associate Dean for Business Engagement, Civic and Cultural Partnerships in the Faculty of Humanities, is one of 11 ISAs across academia and industry support the Bridge AI programme, a major government initiative to support AI commercialisation.
Innovate UK has launched a £100m AI fund for UK businesses as part of the initiative, which drives the adoption of responsible AI within the UK by bridging the gap between innovation and implementation. In addition to expert support, collaborative knowledge sharing and empowering businesses within a trusted ecosystem, BridgeAI will offer tailored funding.
BridgeAI Programme Manager at The Alan Turing Institute, Dominica D’Arcangelo said: "We are really excited to work with Richard. Companies come into BridgeAI at various stages of maturity and face a range of barriers to AI Adoption. Richard's experience as an academic, with broad experience of working closely with industry, means that his advice to companies will be very valuable.”
Richard said: “I am delighted to be representing the University as part of BridgeAI. Not only can we share the best practice and interdisciplinary knowledge gained here at Manchester, but we can harness this knowledge and community collaboration as part of our ongoing development.”
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