Professor Peter Edwards

Biography

Professor Peter Edwards became Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen on 1 November 2025.

He joined the University of Aberdeen as a postdoctoral fellow in Computing Science in October 1988, before moving into his first academic position as a Lecturer in 1991.

His academic research focuses on the design of intelligent information infrastructures that promote transparency and accountability in computational systems, on which he has published widely. Much of this work has been interdisciplinary in nature, involving collaborations across fields including medicine, law, geography, transport studies, food science, and design. He has served as Principal Investigator on major UK Research Council awards valued at over £20m, including the eSocial Science Research Node PolicyGrid (ESRC, 2006–2012) and the UK Digital Economy Research Hub dot.rural (EPSRC, 2009–2015).

In his nearly four decades at the University he has also held a range of senior leadership roles, including Head of Computing Science, Head of the College of Physical Sciences Graduate School, Director of the Northern Research Partnership Graduate School (a collaboration among the Universities of Aberdeen, Dundee, and Robert Gordon), Head of the School of Natural and Computing Sciences, Vice-Principal for Regional Engagement, and Acting Senior Vice-Principal.

Professor Edwards is Chair of the University Senate, a member of the University Court and a member of the Board of the University's Development Trust. His external roles include membership of the Board of Opportunity North East, the Aberdeen City Deal Joint Committee, and the North East Scotland Investment Zone Steering Group.

He is a Fellow of the British Computer Society, the Institution of Engineering & Technology and the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.

Research Overview

Intelligent information infrastructures that promote transparency and accountability in computational systems. My interests span models of provenance, trust, information quality, transparency and accountability and the realisation of these in the context of the web, the internet of things, and autonomous systems. My work has a strong applications focus in areas as diverse as food safety, transport, smart cities, logistics and healthcare; interdisciplinary collaborations have included Medicine, Law, Geography, Transport Studies, Food Science, and Design.

Past Research

Enhancing Agri-Food Transparent Sustainability - EATS
(Aberdeen, Dundee, SRUC, Nottingham)
EPSRC: EP/V042270/1, 2022-2024

Funding and Grants

Enhancing Agri-Food Transparent Sustainability - EATS
EPSRC, 2022-2024

PROoFD IT!: Provenance of Food Delivery through IoT
EPSRC Internet of Food Things Network+, 2019

Realising Accountable Intelligent Systems - RAInS
EPSRC: EP/R033846/1, 2019-2022

Trusted Things & Communities: Understanding & Enabling a Trusted IoT Ecosystem
EPSRC: EP/N028074/1, 2016-2019

Trust & Privacy in Smart City IoT Solutions
Royal Society of Edinburgh - Taiwan Ministry of Science & Technology, 2017-2019

The Food Sentiment Observatory: Exploiting New Forms of Data to Help Inform
Policy on Food Safety & Food Crime Risks (with Food Standards Scotland)
ESRC: ES/P011004/1, 2017-2018

Smart Routing
Innovate UK, 2016-2017

Food Safety Assurance: Combining Provenance & The Internet of Things
IT as a Utility Network+ & Food Standards Agency, 2015-2016

Social Media: Developing Understanding, Infrastructure & Engagement 
ESRC: ES/M001628/1, 2014-2016

dot.rural Digital Economy Research Hub
EPSRC (with AHRC, ESRC, MRC): EP/G066051/1, 2009-2015

Trusted Tiny Things
EPSRC IT as a Utility Network+, 2013-2014

Creativity @ Home Award
EPSRC, 2012-2014

A Trusted Mobile Platform for Self-Management of Chronic Illness in Rural Areas - TRUMP
EPSRC - India DST: EP/J00068X/1, 2011-2014

SmartTourism
SFC Horizon Fund, 2011-2014

PolicyGrid II: Supporting Interdisciplinary Evidence Bases for Scientific
Collaboration and Policy Making
ESRC: ES/F029713/1, 2009-2012

BEhaviour for Well-being, Environment and Life - BE-WEL
ESRC (with BBSRC, MRC), 2009-2010

eInfrastructure for Social Sciences
ESRC: RES-149-25-1063, 2006-2009

SwarmCloud
JISC, 2008-2009

PolicyGrid: Semantic Grid Tools for Rural Policy Development & Appraisal
ESRC: RES-149-25-1027, 2006-2009

Access Grid Node Competition - Equipment Award`
ESRC, 2006

Pilot Semantic Grid Service for Environmental Modelling
ESRC: RES-149-25-0011, 2003-2005

Teaching Responsibilities

I am not currently involved in teaching activity, other than PhD supervision.