UK Data Service
 

Our people

The UK Data Service draws on the strengths of expertise of staff based at universities across the nation.

Here are the people and host institutions who lead and support our work.

Our directors

Our strategic and operational directors bring data expertise and experience from centres of excellence across the UK.

  • Item Image

    Matthew Woollard

    Director

    Matthew provides strategic direction as Director of both the UK Data Service and the UK Data Archive, based at the University of Essex. He has practical and theoretical experience in all aspects of social science and humanities data service infrastructure, having previously headed the History Data Service and served as Head of Digital Preservation and Systems at the UK Data Archive. As director he has overall responsibility for the service strategy and key stakeholder relations. He also provides leadership in data curation, archiving and preservation activities. He is currently Principal Investigator for the Enhancing and Enriching Historic Census Microdata project and a participant in delivering the 4C project (Collaboration to Clarify the Costs of Curation).

  • Item Image

    Keith Cole

    Deputy Director

    Keith brings a wealth of expertise based on almost 30 years of experience in developing and delivering high quality research data services to the UK social science community. Within the UK Data Service he will focus on strategic leadership in technology-driven activities, provide a focus on international data and relationships with institutional repositories and manage the key relationships with both Jisc and the inter-governmental organisations (IGOs). He is also Director of Mimas, a nationally designated data centre based at the University of Manchester which hosts a significant number of the UK’s research information assets.

  • Item Image

    David Martin

    Deputy Director

    David brings a wealth of knowledge about UK census and geographical data, having most recently served as Coordinator of the ESRC Census Programme. He has particular responsibility for UK Data Service relationships with major stakeholders such as the UK statistical organisations and other key ESRC investments and for the integration of Census Support. A professor of geography at the University of Southampton, he is also Co-Director of the National Centre for Research Methods, a member of ESRC Council and an Academician in the Social Sciences.

  • Item Image

    James Nazroo

    Deputy Director

    James brings an overview of a range of user perspectives to the strategic leadership team of the UK Data Service. He is Professor of Sociology and Director of the Cathie Marsh Centre for Census and Survey Research (CCSR) at the University of Manchester. He also has extensive experience of secondary data analysis, generation of survey data and of working across social science and medical disciplines. He previously served as a member of the ESRC Methods and Infrastructure Committee.

  • Item Image

    Jackie Carter

    Functional Director, Communications and Impact

    Jackie leads the team responsible for supporting the UK Data Service in raising awareness of secondary data analysis and maximising the impact of its data, resources and services. She is also a senior manager at Mimas, a partner in delivering the UK Data Service and director of Jorum, an open educational resources service. She is based at the University of Manchester.

  • Item Image

    Louise Corti

    Functional Director, Data Management

    Louise leads two teams dedicated to enriching the breadth and quality of the UK Data Service data collection: Collections Development and Producer Support. She is also an associate director of the UK Data Archive with special expertise in research data management and the archiving and reuse of qualitative data. She is currently principal investigator for the Digital Futures project.

  • Item Image

    Vanessa Higgins

    Functional Director, User Support and Training

    Vanessa leads the team dedicated to delivering a structured portfolio of data workshops and user meetings in addition to helpdesk support for researchers and teachers using our data. Vanessa is also a research fellow at the Cathie Marsh Centre for Census and Survey Research, a UK Data Service partner based at the University of Manchester.

  • Item Image

    John Shepherdson

    Functional Director, Technical Services

    John leads the technical teams at the UK Data Service: Applications, Development and Maintenance (ADM) and Digital Preservation Systems and Security (DPSS). His work covers both internal 'back office' applications for increasing productivity and external user-focused web-based services. He is also an associate director of the UK Data Archive, where he is developing the strategic evolution of the Archive's technical infrastructure.

  • Item Image

    John Stillwell

    Functional Director, Census Support

    John leads the Census Support team, dedicated to providing access to UK census data from 1971 to 2011 along with data analysis tools and user support as part of the integrated UK Data Service. John is also a professor of migration and regional development at the University of Leeds and editor of the journal Applied Spatial Analysis and Policy.

  • Item Image

    Melanie Wright

    Functional Director, Data Services

    Melanie leads the Ingest and Access teams focused on enriching the quality and discoverability of the UK Data Service's data resources. She is also an associate director of the UK Data Archive with special expertise in providing secure remote access to detailed and sensitive data. From 2007 to 2011 she served as President of IASSIST (International Association of Social Science Information Service and Technology).

Our team

Our staff provide data access, support and guidance for all aspects of research and teaching

Back to top  

Discover UK Data Service