Published: 04 Feb 2022 | Last Updated: 07 Feb 2022 09:00:15

The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has been named amongst the first-ever successful applicants to receive The Alan Turing Institute’s Network Development Award.

This will see the RVC awarded £24,953 in research funding which will enhance its work in data science, artificial intelligence and machine learning, as well as related fields through active involvement with The Alan Turing Institute’s thriving network.

Dr Ruby Chang, Senior Lecturer in Statistics, and Dr Dong Xia, Lecturer in Bioinformatics, both at the RVC, will lead this innovative network, developing opportunities to grow the quantitative biology community by hosting activities and initiatives. The project will also provide training to support and engage colleagues across the RVC to form links and collaborations with The Alan Turing Institute’s wider ecosystem.

Dr Ruby Chang, Senior Lecturer in Statistics at the RVC, said:

“I am delighted that we have been successful in securing the Turing Network Development Award. This award has affirmed our research and innovation expertise and excellence in the fields of data science, machine learning and artificial intelligence. We will work closely with researchers across the College to expand our engaged and diverse data science and AI community, and to form new links and collaborations with The Alan Turing Institute’s network.”

Adrian Smith, Institute Director at The Alan Turing Institute, said:

“The awards reflect the demand across a range of sectors to work with the Institute. Data science and AI doesn’t stand still, and so we look forward to working together with this network of universities; exploring new ways to grow the UK’s dynamic research and innovation landscape.”

The Awards, which distribute grants of up to £25,000, are part of a new initiative from The Alan Turing Institute, which enables it to extend its reach and support universities to further expand the UK’s research and development capabilities and expertise.

For more information about the Awards: https://www.turing.ac.uk/news/24-uk-universities-receive-first-ever-turing-network-development-awards 

For more information about the RVC’s research, please contact: Drs Ruby Chang, ychang@rvc.ac.uk, and Dong Xia, dxia@rvc.ac.uk.

About the RVC

• The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) is the UK's largest and longest established independent veterinary school and is a Member Institution of the University of London. It was the first in the world to hold full accreditation from AVMA, EAEVE, RCVS and AVBC.
• The RVC is ranked as the top veterinary school in the world in line with the QS World University Rankings by subject, 2021.
• The RVC offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in veterinary medicine, veterinary nursing and biological sciences.
• In 2017, the RVC received a Gold award from the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) – the highest rating a university can receive.
• A research led institution with 79% of its research rated as internationally excellent or world class in the Research Excellence Framework 2014.
• The RVC provides animal owners and the veterinary profession with access to expert veterinary care and advice through its teaching hospitals and first opinion practices in London and Hertfordshire.