UKRI Trusted Research and Innovation Portfolio Director
Professor Karen Salt is currently the Trusted Research and Innovation Portfolio Director within UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
She is currently Professor of Culture, Place and Communities at Manchester Metropolitan University. A specialist in governance and complex systems, Salt has had numerous advisory, consultative and research leadership roles across the sector.
Within UKRI, Salt previously worked closely with Professor Jennifer Rubin, former Executive Director of the Economic and Social Research Council (while initially on secondment), before taking up a more substantive role working across research culture policy areas.
Since 2020, she has been leading UKRI’s work on trusted research and now heads up the Trusted Research and Innovation Shared Capability team hosted within the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. In this role, Salt drives UKRI’s cross-organisational efforts to support flourishing partnerships and collaborations by providing effective and sound research and innovation security policymaking.
As a sector leader, collaborator and active researcher with over 30 years of experience, Salt works closely with leaders across the UK government, academia, civil society and industry to address shared challenges in research security, inclusive policymaking and responsible innovation.
Outside of UKRI and academia, Salt is a proud Trustee of the Williamson Trust and an avid reader and champion of libraries.
Last updated: 19 April 2024