Research IT

AI Day with lightning talks

The event brings together Softcat, HPE and IBM to explore how hybrid research infrastructure, combining on‑prem HPC with cloud, can accelerate modern research, with expert insights on AI, data and collaboration, real-world use cases across key domains, and networking opportunities.

17 Jun 2026 09:45 — 15:00

Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS)

Call for Lightning Research Pitches – University of Manchester

Win a DCX Spark Personal Supercomputer!

Do you have a bold research idea that could achieve more with advanced computing? We’re inviting researchers from across the University of Manchester to apply to take part in Lightning Research Pitches.

Lightning Pitches are up to 7‑minute talks (slides optional) where you share your research idea and explain how access to research computing resources could increase its impact. The emphasis is on ideas, ambition, and impact – not technical polish. Researchers from all disciplines are encouraged to apply, including those who are light or non‑traditional users of computing.

What’s the prize?
The winning pitch will receive a DCX Spark – a powerful personal supercomputer to help accelerate your research.

What the panel will assess

Pitches will be judged on three simple criteria:

  1. Research Significance & Impact
    The importance and originality of the research, and its potential scientific, societal, or public‑sector impact. We’re looking for ideas that address a clearly important problem and deliver benefits beyond the immediate research team.
  2. Impact Enabled by Research Computing Resources
    How access to research computing enhances, accelerates, or expands the research impact – through faster insights, greater scale, richer analysis, or new perspectives. Light but creative use of computing is absolutely welcome.
  3. Overall Quality & Persuasiveness of the Pitch
    A clear, engaging, and convincing explanation of why the research matters and how computing resources support the vision.

Lightning Pitch format

  • Length: up to 7 minutes
  • Slides: Optional
  • Who can apply: University of Manchester Academics, Researchers and Research Technical Professionals at any career stage and in any discipline

If you have an idea that could go further with the right computing support, we’d love to hear it. Apply to pitch, share your vision, and you could win a DCX Spark to power your research forward.

Please register for the event and send a short paragraph outlining your pitch idea to Robert Haines by the end of the day on Monday 15th June.