The School of Social Sciences and Humanities are seeking to appoint a Research Associate to work with Dr Lise Jaillant, Senior Lecturer in Digital Humanities, on a project which engages with policy makers to improve the preservation, access and usability of born-digital archives.
This project, Unlocking our Digital Past with Artificial Intelligence (LUSTRE), is funded by the AHRC Follow On scheme. Project partners include the Cabinet Office; The National Archives; Public Record Office of Northern Ireland; Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP); Archives and Records Association (ARA); Science Museum Group; and an industry partner. LUSTRE builds on a 2021 project funded by the Higher Education Innovation Fund, which is administered at Loughborough through the Enterprise Committee (see www.unlockingourdigitalpast.com for more details)
The UK Government’s National Data Strategy (2020) emphasises the importance of policy makers learning from experience and of external users being able to hold government to account. The proliferation of documents and emails that have only ever existed in digital form (“born digital”) poses new challenges for government in preserving a collective memory. This includes issues of preservation and storage but also of access respectful of privacy and data protection.
The successful candidate will work closely with Dr Jaillant to deliver the project, which aims to engage with policy makers; facilitate evidence-based discussion; and connect policy makers with scholars and archivists.
The successful applicant will be an experienced researcher with postgraduate training and a background in social sciences or humanities. Experience in qualitative date collection and analysis is essential, along with excellent communication skills and competence in IT skills and digital media.
Informal enquiries should be made by email to Dr Lise Jaillant, Senior Lecturer in Digital Humanities, School of Social Sciences and Humanities, Loughborough University, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..