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Keep up to date with the latest news from the Department of Computer Science.

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• Researchers from the University of Manchester in partnership with the University of Oxford have been awarded funding from Schmidt Sciences for their project Envisioning Print with AI Computer Vision.

  16 Dec 2025

  The project aims to teach computers to identify differences between examples of early printed documents and artworks, that is, to be able to discover minute instances of difference in otherwise-identical prints from the same printing surface. It explores whether computers ‘see’ books and prints the same way as people do, and asks whether the algorithm sees (or indeed, can see, or can be made to see) the same way as humans.  The researchers aim to develop AI tools that can understand the differences between multiple versions of prints throughout history, allowing scholars to understand how early imagery was made and circulated, along with the practices of printers and their workshops.  The team consists of Guyda Armstrong (Professor of Italian and Director of the John Rylands Research Institute at the University of Manchester); Caroline Jay (Professor of Computer Science and Head of Engineering Research at the University of Manchester); Ian Gifford (Head of the Digital Development Team at the University of Manchester Library); Tom Higgins (Senior Software Developer in the University of Manchester Library’s Digital Development Team); Giles Bergel (Senior Researcher in Digital Humanities at the University of Oxford); Andrew Zisserman (Royal Society Research Professor and Professor of Computer Vision Engineering at the University of Oxford); and Prasanna Sridhar (Software Engineer at the University of Oxford). Professor Richard Curry, Vice-Dean for Research and Innovation in the University's Faculty of Science and Engineering, said: "It's fantastic news that the Manchester-led project Envisioning Print with AI Computer Vision, has been selected for this Schmidt Sciences award. This project is an exemplary, highly interdisciplinary collaboration between humanities researchers and computational experts, and its cutting-edge mixed methodologies will shape future innovation  with real-world impacts in line with the University's Manchester 2035 ambitions." Wendy Schmidt, co-founder of Schmidt Sciences, added: “Our newest technologies may shed light on our oldest truths, on all that makes us human – from the origins of civilization to the peaks of philosophical thought to contemporary art and film, Schmidt Sciences’ Humanities and AI Virtual Institute (HAVI) is poised to change not only the course of scholarship, but also the way we see ourselves and our role in the world.” Schmidt Sciences has awarded $11 million to 23 research teams around the world who are exploring new ways to bring artificial intelligence into dialogue with the humanities, from archaeology and art history to literature, linguistics, film studies, and beyond. As part of the Humanities and AI Virtual Institute (HAVI), these interdisciplinary teams will both apply AI to illuminate the human record and draw on humanistic questions, methods, and values to advance how AI itself is designed and used. Schmidt Sciences is a nonprofit organisation founded in 2024 by Eric and Wendy Schmidt that works to accelerate scientific knowledge and breakthroughs with the most promising, advanced tools to support a thriving planet. The organisation prioritises research in areas poised for impact, including AI and advanced computing, astrophysics, biosciences, climate, and space – as well as supporting researchers in a variety of disciplines through its science systems program.

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• The world’s most precise nuclear clock ticks closer to reality

  10 Dec 2025

  In a study published today in Nature, the team demonstrate a completely new way of probing the tiny “ticking” of the thorium-229 nucleus without needing a specialised transparent crystal – a breakthrough that could underpin a new class of timekeeping so precise it could transform navigation, communications, earthquake and volcano prediction, and deep-space exploration.

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• Creative Manchester Showcases Student Research and Celebrates University Collaboration at BEYOND Conference 2025

  05 Dec 2025

  For the second-year running, Creative Manchester was one of the partners for the BEYOND Conference, engaging with industry leaders, researchers and artists from across the creative sector. The conference provided an opportunity to explore applications of and research into CreaTech and build collaborative links across the UK.  One of the highlights was Professor John McAuliffe, Creative Manchester’s Platform Director, taking part in the panel discussion “Civic, Creative and Cultural: University Collaboration”. The session brought together members of the Greater Manchester Civic Universities Board, including Professor Kirsty Fairclough (School of Digital Arts, Manchester Metropolitan University), Dr Sam Ingleson (University of Salford) and Professor Wiebke Thormählen (Royal Northern College of Music). Together, they demonstrated how universities are helping to create a more connected, creative and equitable city-region through strategic partnerships and cultural engagement. Creative Manchester also invited three PhD students and their supervisors along to BEYOND for their CreaTech Student Research Showcase. The showcase, located among many other exciting product and research demos in the Immersive Futures Lab, featured the students’ PhD research and celebrated the University of Manchester’s vibrant postgraduate research community. These projects show how creative technology can tackle real-world challenges across diverse industries: Pingting Xiao - PhD in Electroacoustic Music CompositionStream of Strings explores embodied music cognition, blending cultural heritage with creative technology to create motion-responsive performances and visual works. The project reimagines the ancient Chinese Guqin as an interactive instrument for live performance and public engagement. She is supervised by Professor Ricardo Climent. Harry O’Brien - PhD in Electroacoustic Music CompositionData Sonification for Algorithm Behaviour uses sonification, the mapping of non-auditory data into sound, to better understand how optimisation algorithms work. This approach advances mathematical research while inspiring educational tools and musical compositions. He is also supervised by Professor Ricardo Climent. Bowen Xue - PhD in Computer ScienceReflectanceFusion is a neural text-to-texture model that generates editable, relightable materials from text prompts. It enables precise control of physical attributes, producing highly accurate textures for rendering and material design. He is supervised by Dr Zahra Montazeri.  The showcase sparked lively conversations among attendees, with many playing the Guqin virtually via a Leap Motion Controller and others listening to the beats generated by algorithms being solved in real time. Not only did the students get to practise their pitching skills, but they also found partners for onward collaboration and learning. It was great to see how the next generation of researchers and business partners can come together and seize opportunities for R&D. More content from BEYOND 2025 will be shared soon, but you can watch this reel to get an idea of the atmosphere at this special conference. Follow our social channels to stay updated.

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• Manchester chemists create molecular magnet that could boost data storage by 100 times

  25 Jun 2025

  Scientists at The University of Manchester have designed a molecule that can remember magnetic information at the highest temperature ever recorded for this kind of material.

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• The University of Manchester to collaborate with leading innovator in AI-driven automation and robotics

  10 Apr 2025

  The University of Manchester is to collaborate with leading innovator in AI-driven automation and robotics, InGen Dynamics, to create a dynamic ecosystem where academia and industry work hand-in-hand to develop AI-powered solutions that redefine the future of automation and robotics.  

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• Ground-breaking £2.66 Million Wellcome Discovery Award to transform lives of Motor Neurone Disease patients

  04 Apr 2025

  In a remarkable stride towards enhancing the lives of those affected by MND, the Wellcome Trust has awarded a £2.66 million Wellcome Discovery Award to a pioneering project led by Professor Andrew Irving, Dr Michael Atkins (aka Cheddar Gorgeous), and Professor Steve Pettifer.  MND, which affects 1 in 300 people, leads to the loss of speech, movement, and facial expression. The Co-Creative MiND project aims to revolutionise the way individuals with MND interact with the world by combining visual anthropology and computer science.  The project will develop new body-computer interfaces, creative tools, and visual anthropology methods to facilitate social interaction, creative expression, and cultural participation. This includes creative writing, graphic novels, animation, theatre, photography, and filmmaking, showcasing how life with MND can be transformed through creative inclusion. The project builds on a proof-of-concept established through a University of Manchester Humanities Strategic Investment Fund award and will run from 2025 to 2030. A short clip, from a full-length theatre production can be viewed on vimeo.  The production is scripted and directed by eye and chin movements, features Dr Michael Atkins/Cheddar Gorgeous and Sarah Ezekiel, who has lived with MND for 23 years; with original music by Alex Herd also living with MND who composes using smartbox technology, The next show, "Ms. Mandy's Adventures in Wonderland," will be held on 15 June at JW3, London. More information can be found on the JW3 website. Congratulations to everyone involved in this ground-breaking project, which promises to make a significant impact on the lives of those living with MND.

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• AI research ready: Summer Internship scheme

  18 Mar 2025

  The Royal Academy of Engineering along with Google DeepMind are funding 'Research Ready' paid summer internships working on AI-related research projects at The University of Manchester this year. Google DeepMind Research Ready is a pioneering new scheme aimed at providing undergraduate students and recent graduates from underserved and socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds with research experience in AI-related areas. We are looking to recruit twelve talented UK-based students from such groups to work on summer projects as part of The University of Manchester’s network of world-leading AI researchers.If you are in your penultimate or final year or have recently graduated in a related field, you could take part in a paid eight-week summer internship at The University of Manchester. As part of this scheme, you will work on an AI-related research project and join in with additional activities designed to prepare you for postgraduate study or a career using AI. The funding for this scheme provides a generous stipend as well as support with travel and accommodation costs. You will be based at our central Manchester campus and will work closely with our researchers and the rest of the cohort of 2025 summer interns.Manchester has been named as one of 25 global destinations to be included in the Where to Go 2024 list by prestigious US travel publication AFAR, has been named in the New York Times’ 52 Places to Go list for 2024 and is the only UK city in National Geographic's influential ‘Best of the World’ list, which annually sets out 25 of the must-see places to visit around the globe.Applications are open now:  Read eligibility criteria Application details and form.  

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• New £6.2 million programme to build and test new capabilities for sensitive data research

  13 Mar 2025

  The University of Manchester will collaborate on a new £6.2 million programme, TREvolution, to advance the development of key technical requirements and capabilities for UK Trusted Research Environments (TREs).

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• The UK Metascience Unit funds new research at The University of Manchester

  10 Mar 2025

  The University of Manchester is amongst the first recipients of a grant from UK Research & Innovation’s new Metascience Unit, which was launched 'to find better ways to conduct, distribute and fund research'. 

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• Bees can help map pollution

  19 Nov 2024

  New research from the University of Manchester uses local beekeepers as \\\"citizen scientists\\\" as part of a proposal to use honey as a window into the chemical make-up of a local area.

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