Digital Humanities Success at the Vice-

Chancellor’s Awards 2026

On Wednesday, 30th September, the University gathered at the Great Hall, London Road Campus, to celebrate the Vice-Chancellor’s Awards. The awards celebrate teams and individuals from across divisions who have contributed to research, teaching, and community.

Our teams are excited to announce that members of the digital humanities community won two awards. They reflect a hard-working, ambitious community that strives for innovation and change.

Research and Innovation Community Award

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Robert Van de Noort, awarded Professor Roberta Gilchrist and Dr Mara Oliva the Research Innovation and Community Award. As founders of the digital humanities project at Reading, they were recognized for building a sustainable ecosystem in which digital humanities can thrive.

Judges said: Through a combination of strategic vision and grassroots community-building, the team has established a research centre with a clear academic identity and cross-disciplinary research. 

Roberta and Mara have successfully mentored staff working on DH projects, built a strong community of practice, and established the IDRC DH, whose directorship (invited by Mara) will shape DH’s strategic direction for years to come.

You can hear more from Roberta and Mara in this video.

Mara has also recently penned a new article for Times Higher Education on building a sustainable digital humanities ecosystem.

Professional Services Award for Excellence

Fellow co-director, Dr Rachel Lewis, was also recognized at the awards ceremony, receiving the Professional Services Award for Excellence from COO Laura Clayton. Rachel was nominated by the IDRC DH and the Department of Archaeology, both of which wanted to highlight her outstanding work.

Judges said: This application was submitted by two separate departments to highlight the exceptional work Rachel did in advancing each department’s research profile and securing funding for future projects. 

As co-director for the IDRC DH, Rachel leads on governance and ways of working, and has successfully demonstrated how professional services staff can sit alongside academics and bring valuable perspectives and sustainable approaches to research. In her role in the DH Hub, she works alongside the DH Officer to assist researchers with DH-related funding applications.

Rachel is a highly valued member of our team, and we send our most heartfelt congratulations on this brilliant achievement.

You can hear more from Rachel on the UoR Staff portal.

Want to work with us?

If you are interested in a DH project and working with our teams, check out our staff profiles to learn more about what they do.