Ruth Ahnert
@ruthahnert.bsky.social
Digital humanist; literary historian; early modernist; collaborator; feminist; parent; FEA. Queen Mary University of London: & The Alan Turing Institute, UK. She/her
Pinned
Ruth Ahnert
@ruthahnert.bsky.social
· Nov 11
Hi to new followers, a bit about me: I’m an early modernist by training but I have worked more and more on collaborative digital humanities projects in recent years. Here’s a thread of a few things I’ve published recently.
Reposted by Ruth Ahnert
14 two-year postdocs for academics of any nationality who cannot continue their research due to US politics. Do share if you know of such.
Post-doc positions:
"Academic freedom is under pressure today. This requires rescue havens of free research. ... [we] invite early career researchers, whose work is restricted due to political pressure in the USA..."
uni-freiburg.de/frias/call-f...
"Academic freedom is under pressure today. This requires rescue havens of free research. ... [we] invite early career researchers, whose work is restricted due to political pressure in the USA..."
uni-freiburg.de/frias/call-f...
Call for Applications: Early Career Rescue Fellowship – Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies
uni-freiburg.de
December 19, 2025 at 5:19 PM
14 two-year postdocs for academics of any nationality who cannot continue their research due to US politics. Do share if you know of such.
Reposted by Ruth Ahnert
This is an exciting project on which I am an advisory board member: Uncovering rejects of legal deposit in 19th-century UK libraries. Basically: what did the legal deposit system *reject*.
cordis.europa.eu/project/id/1...
cordis.europa.eu/project/id/1...
Promiscuous Print: Legal Deposit Libraries, Rejected Texts, and New Methods for Negative Bibliography | PromPrint | Project | Fact Sheet | HORIZON | CORDIS | European Commission
PROMPRINT will uncover and analyze the rejects of legal deposit: the printed texts excluded from the ostensibly universal archive promised by copyright libraries. Legal deposit works to preserve every...
cordis.europa.eu
December 19, 2025 at 11:58 AM
This is an exciting project on which I am an advisory board member: Uncovering rejects of legal deposit in 19th-century UK libraries. Basically: what did the legal deposit system *reject*.
cordis.europa.eu/project/id/1...
cordis.europa.eu/project/id/1...
Reposted by Ruth Ahnert
Learn more about our award and tremendous team here: www.manchester.ac.uk/about/news/r... @manchester.ac.uk
Researchers from the University of Manchester in partnership with the University of Oxford have been awarded funding from Schmidt Sciences for their project Envisioning Print with AI Computer Vision.
The Envisioning Print project brings together an expert team of textual scholars, book historians, computer scientists, library data experts, and research software engineers from the University of Man...
www.manchester.ac.uk
December 16, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Learn more about our award and tremendous team here: www.manchester.ac.uk/about/news/r... @manchester.ac.uk
This. Please read the entire thread.
The collateral damage of people upset (often with good reasons) about generative AI is their digital humanities colleagues. It’s outpacing 2010 levels of vitriol, by a lot. The irony is we’re the best allies — we understand how the tech works and can translate between the doom and the hype. +
December 16, 2025 at 12:23 PM
This. Please read the entire thread.
Reposted by Ruth Ahnert
The collateral damage of people upset (often with good reasons) about generative AI is their digital humanities colleagues. It’s outpacing 2010 levels of vitriol, by a lot. The irony is we’re the best allies — we understand how the tech works and can translate between the doom and the hype. +
December 16, 2025 at 12:29 AM
The collateral damage of people upset (often with good reasons) about generative AI is their digital humanities colleagues. It’s outpacing 2010 levels of vitriol, by a lot. The irony is we’re the best allies — we understand how the tech works and can translate between the doom and the hype. +
@hannahsilvauk.bsky.social has just joined! Please give her a follow if you’re interested in AI and creativity. She is an amazing writer and performer who collaborates with AI.
One of my fantastic new collaborators on the NEW Text Machine project, Hannah Silva, is delivering what looks to be a fantastic course on creative writing and AI, ‘Writers not Users: A Masterclass on Living & Writing in the Age of AI’ poetryschool.com/courses/writ...
Writers not Users: A Masterclass on Living & Writing in the Age of AI • Poetry School
In this course led by Hannah Silva you will rethink the ways we engage with technology and AI on a daily basis as writers.
poetryschool.com
December 16, 2025 at 12:13 PM
@hannahsilvauk.bsky.social has just joined! Please give her a follow if you’re interested in AI and creativity. She is an amazing writer and performer who collaborates with AI.
Reposted by Ruth Ahnert
One of my fantastic new collaborators on the NEW Text Machine project, Hannah Silva, is delivering what looks to be a fantastic course on creative writing and AI, ‘Writers not Users: A Masterclass on Living & Writing in the Age of AI’ poetryschool.com/courses/writ...
Writers not Users: A Masterclass on Living & Writing in the Age of AI • Poetry School
In this course led by Hannah Silva you will rethink the ways we engage with technology and AI on a daily basis as writers.
poetryschool.com
December 15, 2025 at 10:18 AM
One of my fantastic new collaborators on the NEW Text Machine project, Hannah Silva, is delivering what looks to be a fantastic course on creative writing and AI, ‘Writers not Users: A Masterclass on Living & Writing in the Age of AI’ poetryschool.com/courses/writ...
One of my fantastic new collaborators on the NEW Text Machine project, Hannah Silva, is delivering what looks to be a fantastic course on creative writing and AI, ‘Writers not Users: A Masterclass on Living & Writing in the Age of AI’ poetryschool.com/courses/writ...
Writers not Users: A Masterclass on Living & Writing in the Age of AI • Poetry School
In this course led by Hannah Silva you will rethink the ways we engage with technology and AI on a daily basis as writers.
poetryschool.com
December 15, 2025 at 10:18 AM
One of my fantastic new collaborators on the NEW Text Machine project, Hannah Silva, is delivering what looks to be a fantastic course on creative writing and AI, ‘Writers not Users: A Masterclass on Living & Writing in the Age of AI’ poetryschool.com/courses/writ...
Reposted by Ruth Ahnert
New grant program announcement: You've heard me talk this morning about those 23 new DH awards from @schmidtsciences.bsky.social HAVI program? Well, we just announced our new RFP for 2026! Teams can be global too! Please consider applying. RFP here: www.schmidtsciences.org/opportunity/...
2026 Humanities and Artificial Intelligence Virtual Institute (HAVI) RFP - Schmidt Sciences
Overview [Read the full RFP] Schmidt Sciences is requesting proposals to the Humanities and AI Virtual Institute (HAVI), aimed at fostering research in the digital humanities with a particular focus ...
www.schmidtsciences.org
December 11, 2025 at 6:49 PM
New grant program announcement: You've heard me talk this morning about those 23 new DH awards from @schmidtsciences.bsky.social HAVI program? Well, we just announced our new RFP for 2026! Teams can be global too! Please consider applying. RFP here: www.schmidtsciences.org/opportunity/...
Forgot to say ‘and I’. Excited to begin work with these awesome colleagues.
Delighted to share that my co-PIs @danielwilson.bsky.social @mcollardanuy.bsky.social and Kaspar Beelen have been selected for a 2025 Humanities and AI Virtual Institute award from @schmidtsciences.bsky.social: www.schmidtsciences.org/humanities-a...
Humanities and AI Virtual Institute - Schmidt Sciences
www.schmidtsciences.org
December 11, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Forgot to say ‘and I’. Excited to begin work with these awesome colleagues.
Reposted by Ruth Ahnert
📣 We're Hiring!
At Schmidt Sciences, we envision a world where science is bold, collaborative and provides well-researched solutions for planetary challenges.
Check out our open roles: www.schmidtsciences.org/careers/
At Schmidt Sciences, we envision a world where science is bold, collaborative and provides well-researched solutions for planetary challenges.
Check out our open roles: www.schmidtsciences.org/careers/
December 10, 2025 at 5:06 PM
📣 We're Hiring!
At Schmidt Sciences, we envision a world where science is bold, collaborative and provides well-researched solutions for planetary challenges.
Check out our open roles: www.schmidtsciences.org/careers/
At Schmidt Sciences, we envision a world where science is bold, collaborative and provides well-researched solutions for planetary challenges.
Check out our open roles: www.schmidtsciences.org/careers/
Reposted by Ruth Ahnert
JUST ANNOUNCED: Schmidt Sciences has awarded $11M to 23 teams globally for our Humanities and AI Virtual Institute (HAVI).
These projects bring AI to history, archaeology, literature, and film, unlocking new understandings of human culture.
Learn more: buff.ly/tvTUYwY
These projects bring AI to history, archaeology, literature, and film, unlocking new understandings of human culture.
Learn more: buff.ly/tvTUYwY
December 11, 2025 at 3:39 PM
JUST ANNOUNCED: Schmidt Sciences has awarded $11M to 23 teams globally for our Humanities and AI Virtual Institute (HAVI).
These projects bring AI to history, archaeology, literature, and film, unlocking new understandings of human culture.
Learn more: buff.ly/tvTUYwY
These projects bring AI to history, archaeology, literature, and film, unlocking new understandings of human culture.
Learn more: buff.ly/tvTUYwY
Delighted to share that my co-PIs @danielwilson.bsky.social @mcollardanuy.bsky.social and Kaspar Beelen have been selected for a 2025 Humanities and AI Virtual Institute award from @schmidtsciences.bsky.social: www.schmidtsciences.org/humanities-a...
Humanities and AI Virtual Institute - Schmidt Sciences
www.schmidtsciences.org
December 11, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Delighted to share that my co-PIs @danielwilson.bsky.social @mcollardanuy.bsky.social and Kaspar Beelen have been selected for a 2025 Humanities and AI Virtual Institute award from @schmidtsciences.bsky.social: www.schmidtsciences.org/humanities-a...
Reposted by Ruth Ahnert
Fantastic talk from James Lee (Northwestern U Library) thinking about "archives as sensors" - love this idea. #ff2025
“What is the next biggest scientific discovery that can be made from a library collection (as a dataset)?” #FF2025
December 4, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Fantastic talk from James Lee (Northwestern U Library) thinking about "archives as sensors" - love this idea. #ff2025
Reposted by Ruth Ahnert
Applications now invited for the Society's new Applied History Fellowships with @ihr.bsky.social and DC Thomson: bit.ly/4ijiuII
Fellowships support recent post-doc historians and demonstrate the appeal of historical skills for employers. £12,000 for 6 months. Closing date: 31 Jan 2026 #Skystorians
Fellowships support recent post-doc historians and demonstrate the appeal of historical skills for employers. £12,000 for 6 months. Closing date: 31 Jan 2026 #Skystorians
Society launches call for new Applied History Fellowships, with the Institute of Historical Research and DC Thomson - RHS
In November 2025, the Society joins with partners the Institute of Historical Research (IHR) and publisher DC Thomson to launch a new Applied History Fellowship programme to support recent post-doctor...
bit.ly
December 2, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Applications now invited for the Society's new Applied History Fellowships with @ihr.bsky.social and DC Thomson: bit.ly/4ijiuII
Fellowships support recent post-doc historians and demonstrate the appeal of historical skills for employers. £12,000 for 6 months. Closing date: 31 Jan 2026 #Skystorians
Fellowships support recent post-doc historians and demonstrate the appeal of historical skills for employers. £12,000 for 6 months. Closing date: 31 Jan 2026 #Skystorians
Reposted by Ruth Ahnert
December 2, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Reposted by Ruth Ahnert
Alan Turing Institute staff decry ‘unjustified’ cuts to research
Internal documents detail extent of changes to projects and personnel at national AI institute
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...
Internal documents detail extent of changes to projects and personnel at national AI institute
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...
Alan Turing Institute staff decry ‘unjustified’ cuts to research - Research Professional News
Internal documents detail extent of changes to projects and personnel at national AI institute
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
November 26, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Alan Turing Institute staff decry ‘unjustified’ cuts to research
Internal documents detail extent of changes to projects and personnel at national AI institute
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...
Internal documents detail extent of changes to projects and personnel at national AI institute
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...
Reposted by Ruth Ahnert
The other problem with this is that research is a type of spread bet/lottery. You do lots of it and hope some of it pans out. If we had a perfect way of selecting which small bits of science and scholarship we "need", we'd have solved the funding problem. But we don't know this.
'Science minister Patrick Vallance has rejected concerns that focusing on “doing fewer things better” in research will lead to funding being concentrated in larger research-intensive universities from the Russell Group.' 1/3
Post-16 plan ‘not recipe for Russell Group domination’ – Vallance
Science minister dismisses as ‘bizarre’ fears that government push for ‘teaching-only’ specialists will further concentrate research activity in small number of institutions
www.timeshighereducation.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:11 AM
The other problem with this is that research is a type of spread bet/lottery. You do lots of it and hope some of it pans out. If we had a perfect way of selecting which small bits of science and scholarship we "need", we'd have solved the funding problem. But we don't know this.
Great thread of discussion here.
Great piece, Dan. I can confirm: Over the years, this has indeed been a longstanding problem. I've helped fund numerous projects over the years trying to address handwriting recognition and it is exciting to see what we can do today.
New issue of my newsletter: "The Writing Is on the Wall for Handwriting Recognition" — One of the hardest problems in digital humanities has finally been solved, and it's a good use of AI newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/the-...
November 26, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Great thread of discussion here.
Reposted by Ruth Ahnert
New issue of my newsletter: "The Writing Is on the Wall for Handwriting Recognition" — One of the hardest problems in digital humanities has finally been solved, and it's a good use of AI newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/the-...
The Writing Is on the Wall for Handwriting Recognition
One of the hardest problems in digital humanities has finally been solved
newsletter.dancohen.org
November 25, 2025 at 4:35 PM
New issue of my newsletter: "The Writing Is on the Wall for Handwriting Recognition" — One of the hardest problems in digital humanities has finally been solved, and it's a good use of AI newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/the-...
Reposted by Ruth Ahnert
I wrote an essay for @bostonreview.bsky.social about what I learned about close reading when I taught at West Virginia University
www.bostonreview.net/articles/the...
www.bostonreview.net/articles/the...
The Claims of Close Reading - Boston Review
Literary studies have been starved by austerity, but their core methodology remains radical.
www.bostonreview.net
November 26, 2025 at 3:14 PM
I wrote an essay for @bostonreview.bsky.social about what I learned about close reading when I taught at West Virginia University
www.bostonreview.net/articles/the...
www.bostonreview.net/articles/the...
Reposted by Ruth Ahnert
This is an exciting project, led by @nebulousflynn.bsky.social, to safeguard access to the UK’s digital 3D heritage at risk through over-reliance on commercial and free-to-use platforms for storage and dissemination. I'm happy to be serving on the advisory board and looking forward to discussions.
Wikimedia UK has been awarded a grant of £56,198 from National Lottery Heritage Fund towards our ‘UK Heritage 3D Data at Risk: Developing a Strategy for Long Term Access & Storage’ project. The grant will help ensure future access to the UK’s 3D heritage data.
More info: tinyurl.com/3ma28psr
More info: tinyurl.com/3ma28psr
November 26, 2025 at 3:44 PM
This is an exciting project, led by @nebulousflynn.bsky.social, to safeguard access to the UK’s digital 3D heritage at risk through over-reliance on commercial and free-to-use platforms for storage and dissemination. I'm happy to be serving on the advisory board and looking forward to discussions.
Reposted by Ruth Ahnert
I'm seeing a trend in our students at UBC as well. STEM students, but particularly CS students, looking to the humanities to provide more depth and meaning to their studies. Lean in and stay strong, humanities. Your time is here!
"While other universities report that the humanities are shrinking, at Berkeley, the opposite is true. The music major is the fastest-growing major on campus. We are finding bigger classrooms because film is exploding. English is back to the numbers we saw 15 years ago. We are hiring" bit.ly/4ohKuOe
"The humanities really are a resource — a confidence for living in our times.” Dean Sara Guyer on the modern utility of humanities degrees
This interview originally appeared on the Division of Arts
bit.ly
November 23, 2025 at 7:46 PM
I'm seeing a trend in our students at UBC as well. STEM students, but particularly CS students, looking to the humanities to provide more depth and meaning to their studies. Lean in and stay strong, humanities. Your time is here!
Reposted by Ruth Ahnert
Congratulations to Allmaps (led by @bertspaan.nl & Jules Schoonman) + @iiif.bsky.social on the announcement of this partnership. It's a fantastic step towards a sustainable, open, digital maps infrastructure and data ecosystem.
Learn more at allmaps.org/iiif-partner... & iiif.io/news/2025/11...
Learn more at allmaps.org/iiif-partner... & iiif.io/news/2025/11...
November 21, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Congratulations to Allmaps (led by @bertspaan.nl & Jules Schoonman) + @iiif.bsky.social on the announcement of this partnership. It's a fantastic step towards a sustainable, open, digital maps infrastructure and data ecosystem.
Learn more at allmaps.org/iiif-partner... & iiif.io/news/2025/11...
Learn more at allmaps.org/iiif-partner... & iiif.io/news/2025/11...