Prof Marc Hanheide
DLA Director.
Prof Marc Hanheide is the Director of the Doctoral Landscape Award, as well as Director of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Agri-Food Robotics: AgriForwArdS.
Marc’s research focuses on autonomous robots, human-robot interaction, interaction-enabling technologies, and system architectures. He specifically focuses on aspects of long-term robotic behaviour and human-robot interaction and adaptation. His work contributes to robotic applications in care, logistics, nuclear decommissioning, security, agriculture, museums, and general service robotics.
He is also a Principal Investigator in many national and international research projects funded by H2020, EPSRC, InnovateUK, DFG, industry partners, and others. The STRANDS, ILIAD, RASberry, and NCNR projects are among the bigger projects he is involved with.
He features regularly in public media, has published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles, and is actively engaged in promoting the public understanding of science through appearances in dedicated events, media appearances, and public lectures.
Prof Stuart Humphries
Dean of Research Environment.
Prof Stuart Humphries is the Dean of Research Environment, and a Professor of Evolutionary Biophysics. He is also the founding director of the Lincoln Institute for Advanced Studies (LIAS).
Stuart provides a bridge between Academic Colleges, Schools, Institutes, and other parts of the University, facilitating internal and external collaboration, and external engagement with research partners as well as championing the further development of a culture of research at Lincoln.
Prof Jeanette Rotchell
Director of Research.
Prof Jeanette Rotchell is the College of Health and Science Director of Research.
Jeanette’s research focuses on the biological effects of environmental contaminants at the molecular level, known as molecular ecotoxicology. Recent interests have focused on microplastic analyses in different samples, including water and mussels from the environment and supermarket shelves, to microplastics in different types of foodstuffs/beverages, to microplastics in the air within people’s homes as well as outdoors, and in human tissue samples.
Prof Chris Bingham
Theme Lead: Energy Systems and Material Innovation.
Prof Chris Bingham is Professor of Energy Conversion and Associate Head of School of Engineering.
Prof Yousef Ghorbani
Theme Lead: Energy Systems and Material Innovation.
Prof Yousef Ghorbani is Professor of Energy Materials and Chemistry within the School of Natural Sciences. He is a distinguished academic and industry professional with over 20 years of experience in mineral processing, extractive metallurgy, and energy materials.
Yousef leads pioneering research in sustainable processing of critical raw materials and energy metals, supporting the green energy transition. He is an active researcher, publishing 3–4 papers per year in high-impact factor journals. Yousef has presented his research at over 50 international conferences and meetings, often as a plenary lecturer or keynote speaker. His research, teaching, and leadership strongly contribute to net-zero emissions and the green transition, benefiting universities and industrial R&I centres worldwide, including in South Africa, Iran, Chile, the United Kingdom, and Sweden.
Prof Simon Parsons
Theme Lead: Data-economic Machine Learning and AI.
Prof Simon Parsons is a Global Professor within the School of Agri-Food Technology & Manufacturing.
Simon’s research interests are in the area of Artificial Intelligence. Within that field, his is currently interested in: data-backed decision making; explainable artificial intelligence; market-based systems; and mobile robotics. At Lincoln, Simon is particularly focusing on the applications of these techniques in agriculture and medicine. He is the PI of the UKRI AI CDT SUSTAIN: Sustainable Understandable Agri-food Systems Transformed by Artificial Intelligence.
Prof Jose Gonzalez-Rodriguez
Theme Lead: Environmental Monitoring and Sustainability.
Prof Jose Gonzalez-Rodriguez is a Professor of Forensic and Analytical Chemistry within the School of Natural Sciences, he is also Deputy Director of Research for the School and Programme Leader for the MSc Forensic Science.
Jose’s research interests include analytical and forensic chemistry, sensors and environmental chemistry, molecular imprinted polymers, and data science.
Dr Sandra Varga
Associate Professor in Life Sciences.
Dr Sandra Varga is an Associate Professor in Life Sciences within the School of Natural Sciences, she is also Deputy Director of Research for the School and Deputy Programme Leader for the BSc (Hons) Biology. She is an evolutionary ecologist deeply interested in understanding how plants interact with their environment (including aboveground and belowground interactions), the evolution of plant breeding systems, and how sustainable food production can be aided by soil microbes.
Prof Abigail Powell
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Lead.
Prof Abigail Powell is Professor of Sociology and Social Policy and Director of Research in the Eleanor Glanville Institute, which delivers research and teaching focused on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).
Abigail’s goal is to support, facilitate and create positive social change. Her research is underpinned by her passion for social justice and equality. Abigail is an expert in the gender division of labour (in the home and workplace), with a particular focus on gender in male dominated occupations; youth studies; financial wellbeing; and complex evaluation and impact measurement.
Abigail leads the DLA’s EDI initiatives.