Call for New Executive Committee Members
As part of the UK-Ireland Digital Humanities Association’s roadmap, we are continuing to formalise the governance structures of the organisation, in line with the governance proposal that was published in spring 2025. To start the next stage of this process, we are pleased to announce an open call for 3 new members to join the Association’s Executive Committee (formerly known as ‘the Collective’).
The call will open on 9 November 2026 and close on 18 December 2026 at 17.00 GMT. Appointments will be made in January 2027, with a staggered handover during the spring.
The appointment of these members will mark the formal transition from the current governing Collective to a new Executive Committee structure, as outlined in the governance proposal. This is an important step in formalising the Association’s governance while maintaining our commitment to openness, inclusivity and community-led leadership.
We are looking to appoint:
- x2 General Members of the Executive Committee
- x1 Digital Research Technical Professional (dRTP) OR an Early Career Representative (see definition below), open to applicants from any sector.
Applicants who are early career and/or a dRTP are also welcome to apply for the general positions too (just tick multiple options on the form). A fourth member will be appointed by the community interest groups to represent their interests in the Association’s governance structure (current CIG co-ordinators only).
We would particularly welcome applications from individuals based in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Wales, as well as from groups currently underrepresented within the Association.
Successful candidates will help shape the future direction of the Association during an exciting period of development and growth. Members of the Executive Committee are expected to attend meeting of the board every 4-6 weeks, take responsibility for leading a strand of activity from time to time (depending on interests and skills), offer feedback on reports and other documentation when required, and contribute to peer review processes for awards, event abstracts, and other related activities.
In the future, we will also be seeking to appoint co-chairs to lead the Association, so this position may lead to additional opportunities in the future. Previous members of the Collective described their time below:
The Collective has helped me to further strengthen my research relationships throughout these islands, and reminded me of the diversity of approaches and thinkers that we share as a community.
The UK-Ireland Digital Humanities Association has shown what can happen when openness, collaboration, and inclusivity are placed at the centre of a scholarly community. I’ve really valued being part of this group since its earliest days: one that brings people together across borders, institutions, and career stages, creating connections and opportunities that would not otherwise exist.
If you think you could be our newest member, please submit a brief Expression of Interest via our online form by 17.00 GMT on 18 December. Please see below for the further particulars, application link and selection criteria.
Early Career Definition
Early Career is here defined as individuals that are either within 8 years of receiving their PhD or equivalent professional training (e.g. ARA or CILIP accredited course), OR individuals within 6 years of their first professional or academic appointment.
These timeframes exclude any periods of career break such as for parental leave, health reasons, etc. We also welcome those recently changing sectors to a digital-humanities-aligned role.
Selection Criteria
- Relevant expertise or experience working in the digital humanities / digital scholarship, relative to your career stage.
- Experience engaging with and networking with digital humanities practitioners and researchers.
- Clear articulation of what skills or ideas you might bring to this role.
- Shows knowledge of the Association and enthusiasm to work across the UK and Ireland or on particular activity strands.
- Ability to attend and contribute to regular committee meetings and support other activities.
- Preference may be given to those working in sectors and/or regions currently underrepresented in the Association’s Collective / Executive Committee.
Further details
Appointments will be for three-year terms, followed by a flexible handover period to support continuity and knowledge exchange within the Executive Committee.
All expressions of interest will be considered by the current governing Collective, with a view to ensuring broad representations across our diverse digital humanities communities.
The current governing Collective consists of: Giota Alevizou; Jennifer Edmond; Vicky Garnett; Paul Gooding; Dawn Kanter; Graeme Kemp; Jenny McHugh; Órla Murphy; Kristen Schuster; Justin Tonra; Charlotte Tupman; Valentina Vavassori; Sharon Webb; and Jane Winters.
If you would like an informal conversation about what is involved in serving on the Executive Committee, any member of the current Collective would be happy to speak with you.