Events
DAFNI Conference 2025
Updated on February 12 2026
This year’s DAFNI (Data and Analytics Facility for National Infrastructure) Annual Conference was held at The Edge, University of Sheffield, S10 3ED on Thursday 11th September 2025.
The theme of the 2025 conference was ‘Bridging the gap between Academia, Government and Industry.’
Including the sub-themes:
- Climate Resilience
- Security and Trusted Research
Please see below for our outline agenda for the day which includes our exciting keynote speakers, invited speakers and panellists!
09:00 Arrival – Breakfast networking
Bridging the Gap between Academia, Government and Industry
09:30 Welcome, Introduction and DAFNI Fellows announcement
SPEAKERS
Tom Kirkham
DAFNI Science Lead
09:45 Keynote presentation
SPEAKERS
Juliet Mian
ARUP
10:15 Update on DAFNI
SPEAKERS
Sarah Byrne
DAFNI Senior Software Engineer and Product Owner
10:35 Networking Break
11.00 INVITED SPEAKERS SESSION
SALIENT
Dr Richard Kirkham, University of Manchester
SPEAKERS
Dr Richard Kirkham
University of Manchester
11:20 INVITED SPEAKERS SESSION
Climate Change Committee
Rachael Steller and Karina Rodriguez Villafuerte, Climate Change Committee
SPEAKERS
Rachael Steller
Climate Change Committee
Karina Rodriguez Villafuerte
Climate Change Committee
11:40 INVITED SPEAKERS SESSION
CROSSEU
Professor Nicholas Vasilakos, University of East Anglia
SPEAKERS
Professor Nicholas Vasilakos
University of East Anglia
12:00 Networking lunch, poster session and demonstrations
13:30 Keynote presentation
SPEAKERS
Sarah Hayes
Independent Consultant, Data Sharing Group
14:00 Researcher Data Access Pilot Programme
SPEAKERS
Olly Tones
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
14:20 DINI Project results and recommendations
SPEAKERS
Catherine Jones
STFC
Elizabeth Newbold
STFC
14:40 Networking Break
15:05 Trusted Research Panel
- Emily Jefferson, Health Data Research UK
- Jason Feehily, University of Nottingham
- David Batho, Jisc
- Tash Buckley, Cranfield University
- Kathryn Dally, UK Research Integrity Office
15:55 From hackathon to legislation - the journey of NUAR
SPEAKERS
Holger Kessler
AtkinsRéalis
16:15 National Water Resources Quality Modelling: From research to delivery
SPEAKERS
Jonny Wilson
Environment Agency
16:35 Conference closing remarks
SPEAKERS
Dr Tom Kirkham
DAFNI Science Lead