Dr Allan Sudlow

AHRC Director of Partnerships and Engagement

Dr Allan Sudlow is Director of Partnerships and Engagement at the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).

This role encompasses AHRC-wide strategic planning and leading on strategic engagement with AHRC’s broad range of stakeholders, including:

  • research organisations
  • government
  • businesses
  • public audiences

Allan was previously Head of Research Development at the British Library where he was responsible for the Library’s research strategy and activities as an independent research organisation (IRO).

He was also Co-Chair of the IRO consortium of AHRC-UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) sponsored heritage and culture research-active organisations.

Allan joined the Library in 2008 to lead strategy for engagement, policy and collaborative research across the biomedical and environmental sciences.

Before joining the British Library, Allan was at the Medical Research Council for eight years where he oversaw neuroscience research funding, and strategy development for research data.

Prior to this, he gained a PhD in neurophysiology, and had a postdoctoral research career that spanned both higher education institution and pharmaceutical sectors.

Allan has supported academic peer review and funding panels for AHRC, Economic and Social Research Council and UKRI, alongside programme management and delivery, cross-sector stakeholder engagement and impact assessment.

He has a track record of innovation and change management in IRO research, and partnership working across the arts, humanities, and sciences.

He has expertise in collection-based and data-driven research, digital humanities and digital infrastructure, research engagement and impact.

Allan is passionate about:

  • cross-disciplinary research
  • equality, inclusion, diversity
  • early career research

He is keen to support strategic collaborations for the evolution of UKRI research and infrastructure planning.

Last updated: 4 September 2023

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