The Digital Environment Research Institute (DERI) at Queen Mary University of London is delighted to announce the appointment of two distinguished professors to its team, Professor Gina Neff and Professor Venet Osmani.
Professor Neff joins DERI as Professor of Responsible AI. Her expertise in the ethical and societal implications of emerging technologies will significantly strengthen Queen Mary's commitment to Responsible AI research and development. Professor Neff is Deputy CEO of Responsible AI UK, a £33 million investment in strengthening the UK’s research and innovation in responsible AI. She also co-directs the ESRC’s Digital Good Network and serves on the Boards for the Social Science Research Council, Reset Tech and the Institute for the Future of Work. Professor Neff also directs the Minderoo Centre for Technology & Democracy at the University of Cambridge.
Professor Osmani joins as a Professor of Clinical AI and Machine Learning. His research focuses on developing innovative machine learning methods to address critical challenges in medicine, such as predictive modeling, explainable AI, generative AI for synthetic clinical data, and health inequalities. Professor Osmani brings a wealth of experience from his previous roles at the Universities of Sheffield and Trento and Fondazione Bruno Kessler research institute in Italy, and joins DERI as a key member of one of five MRC research Hubs, recently funded for 3.4 million to focus on Severe Mental Illness challenges, led by Shefield Health and Social Care NHS FT.
Greg Slabaugh, DERI Director, and Professor of Computer Vision and AI expressed his enthusiasm for the new appointments: "We are thrilled to welcome Professor Neff and Professor Osmani to the DERI team. Their expertise aligns perfectly with key areas of strategic growth for the institute, specifically Responsible and Trustworthy AI, and AI for Biomedicine and Healthcare. Their exceptional work and innovative perspectives will play a crucial role in driving forward our mission to push the boundaries of AI and data science. I have no doubt that their contributions will significantly enhance our efforts to tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing society today."
Professor Neff commented on her appointment: "It is an honour to join DERI in such an exciting phase of its growth. Queen Mary is an ideal place to anchor research on the impact of AI on people’s lives, the role of responsible technology in our communities, and how jobs are rapidly changing. "
Professor Osmani added: “I’m excited to be joining Queen Mary as Professor of Clinical AI and Machine Learning in the Digital Environment Research Institute. The Institute provides a great environment to advance fundamental AI research towards translation into clinical practice. I am looking forward to establishing collaborations across Queen Mary, the NHS, as well as industrial partners to push further the boundaries of computational medicine.”
The appointments of Professor Neff and Professor Osmani further solidify DERI's position as a leading research institute in AI and digital technologies. Their expertise will contribute to Queen Mary's ongoing efforts to develop innovative solutions to the challenges facing our society in the digital age.