Team

Jonathan leads the Collaborations team within UCL’s Advanced Research Computing Centre. This is a group of over 60 digital Research Technology Professionals, organised under 5 professions: Research Infrastructure Developers, Research Software Engineers (RSEs), Data Scientists, Data Stewards and PRISMs (Professional Research Investment and Strategy Managers). The team works collaboratively with researchers across the whole of UCL and beyond, providing the tools, advice and training within a research team to enable best practice and build for the future. We also lead research and innovate in compute, data and software intensive research methods, and in how to teach these effectively.

Since taking over the team in 2018, Jonathan has seen it expand from a moderately sized RSE team to its current multi-profession structure within a new hybrid research and professional services department. Through the DisCouRSE project he aims to promote similar career opportunities for dRTPs across the UK. Jonathan leads the project overall through WP1 and heads up the career pathways work in WP4.

As Director leading King’s Digital Lab (KDL), Arianna leads an RSE team of 12 people, composed of a variety of digital RTPs roles including lab and project managers, analysts, RSEs, UI/UX designers, and systems manager plus occasional interns and visiting fellows. The team contribute via research services or in co-leading roles to high quality grant-funded projects with significant technical requirements from concept development and requirements elicitation to delivery and sustainability plans.

Arianna has over 15 years’ experience in collaborative Digital Humanities research and 10 years’ experience in research management, and digital research infrastructures. She capitalises on successful collaborations and joint projects. Her experience will inform WP4 work around cross-disciplinary processes relevant to pathways of impact and engagement with the digital RTPs community in particular within A&H and cultural heritage, including understanding their needs, incentives as well as the principles and practices to foster inclusivity, sustainability and career-related recognition.

Adrian is the Head of Research Software Engineering in Research IT at The University of Manchester. He is responsible for the operational and strategic development of the Manchester team of 50 engineers as well as a small number of incoming data engineers, research data stewards and agile deliver managers.

He is a Chartered Engineer with the Institute of Engineering and Technology with a background in aerospace engineering holding posts at Rolls-Royce and Aero-Engine Controls (formerly Goodrich). He is passionate about engineering process, the professionalisation of research professions, and the provision of tools and training that underpin it.

He is the lead of WP3 which focusses on advanced training and the development of a digital Research Technical Professional competency framework.

Gillian is a Relationship Manager within Research IT at the University of Manchester, one of the largest Research IT groups in the country. Her role is far-ranging and includes strategy formation and implementation, community building, user engagement and promotion of Research IT activities across the University.

Gillian has a proven track record in coordinating regional and nationwide initiatives, most recently as Programme Manager for the N8 Centre of Excellence for Computationally Intensive Research (N8 CIR).

In DisCouRSE, Gillian will have managerial responsibility for the running of the network, drawing together various threads of activity and playing a key role in community engagement in WP2 as well as leading WP5 supported by PRISM staff at UCL.

Kirsty is the Project Manager for the Software Sustainability Institute which works to advocate for the importance of people and software in research. She is based in EPCC within the University of Edinburgh.

In DisCouRSE Kirsty is leading WP2; designed to build an engaged network across a wide range of digital RTP roles. In addition to her community building work, she has a background in climate science and leads the Software Sustainability Institute’s work on environmentally responsible research; she also leads the Green RSE Special interest group.

David is Head of Biomedical Research Software at Newcastle University, where he supports cross-disciplinary research through the development of robust, sustainable software. With a background spanning academic research and industry software engineering, he focuses on bridging disciplinary divides, streamlining research workflows, and enabling reproducible science.

He leads the development of a competency framework for digital Research Technical Professionals (dRTPs) as part of Work Package 3 (WP3) within the DisCouRSE project, building on the existing DIRECT framework. David brings extensive experience from national RSE initiatives, training programmes, and community leadership, including his involvement with the Software Sustainability Institute Fellowship and mentoring schemes. Through DisCouRSE, he is committed to shaping inclusive, clearly defined development pathways that support the long-term growth of individuals and teams across the dRTP landscape.

Antonia is a Professional Research Investment and Strategy Manager at UCL’s Advanced Research Computing Centre. Her role focuses on financial management, encompassing departmental financial management as well as pre- and post-award support for research grants.

In DisCouRSE, Antonia will support the administration and delivery of the flexible fund.

Jodie is a Professional Research Investment Strategy Manager at UCL’s Advanced Research Computing Centre. Her role focuses on departmental administration, and she will assist with a range of administrative tasks within the project.

Rahil is a Professional Research Investment & Strategy Manager (PRISM) at UCL’s Advanced Research Computing Centre, where she supports digital research adoption, open research and interdisciplinary collaboration, as well as leading various digital research community programmes.

Currently, at ARC, she focuses on digital research strategy, and promoting inclusive digital research infrastructure communities. Her interests lie in open research, data stewardship, and human-centric digital transformation, particularly in how research infrastructures can facilitate responsible, transparent, and interdisciplinary research practices. Rahil is also exploring how universities can act as “living laboratories” for fostering collaboration and ethical data and AI use.