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Senate

Senate is the senior forum for academic staff to shape academic strategy, as well as examine plans and raise issues of importance to the University.

Senate's powers and constitution can be found in the University's Ordinances.

Current members

Membership of Senate is made up of ex officio members whose role at the University means they sit on Senate, elected members from academic staff, and student members. The secretary is Simon Wright, Academic Registrar.

NameRole End of current term of office
Professor Colin Riordan Chair: The Vice-Chancellor  
Professor Damian Walford Davies The Deputy Vice-Chancellor 31/07/2024
Professor Rudolf Allemann Pro Vice-Chancellor 01/10/2023
Professor Urfan Khaliq Pro Vice-Chancellor 31/08/2024
Professor Ian Weeks Pro Vice-Chancellor 31/08/2023
Claire Morgan Pro Vice-Chancellor 31/10/2023
Professor Roger Whitaker Pro Vice-Chancellor 31/05/2025
Dr Zbig Sobiesierski Director of Continuing and Professional Education  
Helen Evans Director, English Language Programmes  
Helen Spittle Director for Cardiff Learning and Teaching Academy  
Dr Juliet Davis Head of School, Architecture 31/07/2026
Professor Eshwar Mahenthiralingam Head of School, Biosciences 30/04/2028
Professor Rachel Ashworth Head of School, Business 31/08/2025
Professor Damien Murphy Head of School, Chemistry 30/06/2025
Dr Stuart Allen Head of School, Computer Science and Informatics 31/08/2023
Professor Nicola Innes Head of School, Dentistry 31/10/2025
Dr Jenny Pike Head of School, Earth and Environmental Sciences 17/08/2027
Professor Martin Willis Head of School, English, Communications and Philosophy 20/01/2024
Professor Jianzhong Wu Head of School, Engineering 31/08/2025 
Professor Gill Bristow Head of School, Geography and Planning 31/01/2026
Professor David Whitaker Head of School, Healthcare Sciences 28/02/2026
Professor James Hegarty Head of School, History, Archaeology and Religion 31/08/2023
Matt Walsh Head of School, Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies 31/01/2026
Professor Warren BarrHead of School, Law and Politics 31/08/2027
Dr Jonathan Thompson Head of School, Mathematics 31/07/2027
Professor Stephen Riley Head of School, Medicine 31/12/2025
Professor David Clarke Head of School, Modern Languages 30/04/2026
Professor Kenneth Hamilton Head of School, Music 31/07/2023
Professor John Wild Head of School, Optometry and Vision Sciences 31/12/2026
Professor Mark Gumbleton Head of School, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 31/08/2025
Professor Peter Smowton Head of School, Physics and Astronomy 30/11/2023
Dr Petroc Sumner Head of School, Psychology 31/05/2023
Professor Thomas Hall  Head of School, Social Sciences 02/04/2025
Professor Dylan Foster Evans Head of School, Welsh 31/07/2025
Tracey Stanley Director of University Libraries and The University Librarian

Fifteen professors elected by and from the Professors of the University.

NameSchool End of current term of office
Professor Aseem Inam Architecture 31/07/2025
Professor Trevor Dale Biosciences 31/07/2023
Professor Keith Whitfield Business 31/07/2023
Professor Ceri Sullivan English, Communication and Philosophy 31/07/2023
Professor Alan Kwan Engineering 31/07/2023
Professor Lina Dencik Journalism 31/07/2024
Professor Joanne Hunt Law and Politics 31/07/2023
Professor Roger Behrend Mathematics 31/07/2024
Professor Kate Brain Medicine 31/07/2025
Professor Dai John Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 31/07/2023
Professor Marc Buehner Psychology 31/07/2023
Professor Patrick Sutton Physics and Astronomy 31/07/2024
Professor Mary Heimann History, Archaeology and Religion 31/07/2023
Professor Adam Hedgecoe Social Sciences 31/07/2024
Professor Christine BundyHealthcare Sciences31/07/2025

Twenty-five members elected by and from the academic staff of the Schools:

NameSchool End of current term of office
Graham Getheridge College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences 31/07/2025
Lisa WatkinsCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences 31/07/2023
Larissa Nelson Biosciences 31/07/2023
Kate Richards Biosciences 31/07/2024
Dr Onur Tosun Business 31/07/2023
Dr James Osborne Computer Sciences and Informatics 31/07/2024
Dr Catherine Teehan Computer Sciences and Informatics 31/07/2025
Andreas Buerki English, Communication and Philosophy 31/07/2025
Dr Derek Dunne English, Communication and Philosophy 31/07/2025
Dominic Roche Healthcare Sciences 31/07/2022
Grace ThomasHealthcare Sciences 31/07/2023
Dr Cindy Carter Journalism, Media and Culture 31/07/2023
Dr Catherine Walsh Journalism, Media and Culture 31/07/2024
Dr Natasha Hammond-Browning Law and Politics 31/07/2023
Sarah Saunders Law and Politics 31/07/2023
Rhys Denton Medicine 31/07/2023
Dr Jonathan HewittMedicine31/07/2025
Dr Monika Hennemann Music 31/07/2024
Dr Caroline Rae Music 31/07/2024
Dr Luzia Dominguez Modern Languages 31/07/2024
Joanne Pagett Modern Languages 31/07/2025
Dr Juan Pereiro Viterbo Physics and Astronomy 31/07/2024
Ms Emmajane Milton Social Sciences 31/07/2023
Abyd Quinn-Aziz Social Sciences 31/07/2024
Dr David DoddingtonHistory, Archaeology and Religion31/07/2025

Five members elected by and from the academic staff of the Professional Services group:

NameDepartment End of current term of office
Michael Reade Academic and Student Support Services   31/07/2025
Dr Andy Skyrme University IT 31/07/2023
Susan CousinsUniversity Secretary's Office31/07/2024
Rebecca NewsomeVice-Chancellor's Office31/07/2025
Plus 1 vacancy 
Name End of current term of office
Gina Dunn 30/06/2023
Noah Russell 30/06/2023
Ashly Alava Garcia 30/06/2023
Angie Flores Acuña 30/06/2023
Shreshth Goel 30/06/2023
Olivia Evans 30/06/2023
Rebecca Deverall 30/06/2023