Biography
Professor Maria Burke is a Senior Research Associate at the Von Hügel Institute, where she has been contributing since 2019. She is also an Emerita Professor at the University of Winchester, having served as Head of Research and Knowledge Exchange in the Faculty of Business, Law, and Digital Technologies for several years. Beyond the UK, Professor Burke has held roles at various international universities, most recently as a Visiting Scholar at the Institut for Kommunikation at Københavns Universitet. In 2023 she was honoured to receive the Society for Research in Higher Education (SRHE) Accolade Award for her outstanding Contribution to the Field of Research. In Spring 2025, she has been invited to speak at New York University on UK approaches to AI.
Professor Burke is an experienced ‘Evaluator and Assessor' for the EPSRC Research Council, with a career grant income exceeding £1.2 million. Currently, she is working on her latest book, Russia, Poland and the UK: Searching for Everyday Information, which critiques the ways information is used and misused across different cultures.
In addition to her academic pursuits, Professor Burke is passionate about creative writing. She recently completed an MA in Critical and Creative Writing at the University of Winchester, graduating with a Merit Award.
Research
Professor Burke’s research centres on the application of digital technology to social systems, particularly focusing on AI regulation and safety. She is interested in how digital technology impacts individuals and advocates for the development of new frameworks to support digital research in the future.
Working across disciplines, Professor Burke blends cultural insights with her technological expertise, exploring ethical questions surrounding emerging technologies from diverse perspectives. Her work examines the intersections of Culture, Technology, and Ethics, particularly as they relate to issues of control and societal impact. As a core member of the Fragility and Flourishing AI Initiative at the Von Hügel Institute, she strives to ensure that human dignity remains central in technological development.
Publications
- Burke, M., (2024) Exploring the Relationship Between Humans and AI, joint panel hosted by Faraday Institute, Woolf Institute and Von Hügel Institute, panel member 5/3/24, University of Cambridge.
- Burke, M., (2023) The Impact of AI on the Teaching and Understanding of Research Ethics. Academic Practice Network: What do AI systems mean for academic practice? Society for Research in Higher Education (SRHE), Speaker, Round Table, London
- Burke, M., (2023) Closing Keynote: Reflections on AI Ethics 2023: Where are we now? AI World Congress June 2023, In person conference, Kensington, London
- Burke, M. (2022) Reflections on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. AI World Congress, (In person conference), London
- Burke, M. (2022) Social Perspectives Of Charity Shop Workers: Balancing Function Vs. Setting In The Digital Age, Proceedings of the Learning, Teaching and Student Experience. (In person conference), Belfast, N Ireland.
- Burke, M. et al. (2021) Tensions and Contradictions: A Study of Charity Shop Workers in the Digital Age, Proceedings of the 29th International BOBCATSSS Conference: Digital Transformation (Virtual Conference) Porto, Portugal.
- Burke, M. (2020) Digital Transformation: A Multi Aspectual Approach. (Panel and Workshop) Sustainable Digital Communities i-Conference. Panel Member and Workshop with: Professor A. Basden, Dr. S. Joneidy, Professor D. Haftor, University of Uppsala, Boras, Sweden.
- Burke, M. (2018) Making choices: developing digital research frameworks for information management. Journal of Documentation. Vol. 74 (1) pp. 247-254.
- Burke, M. (2017) The design and value of early-adopter low-energy houses. Construction Innovation: Information, Process, and Management. Vol. 17 (3) pp. 262-272.
- Burke, M. (2016) The party’s over at the digital society: some thoughts towards the search for serious theoretical frameworks. International Journal of the Human Digital. Vol. 1 (2) July pp. 195-201.
- Burke, M. and Speed, C. (2014) Knowledge Recovery: Applications of Technology in Uberveillance and the Social Implications of Microchip Implants: Emerging Technologies, Chapter 5, edited by Michael, K. and Michael, M., IGI Publishing pp. 133-142.
- Burke, M. O Callaghan, & Quigley, M., (2013) The business of digital storytelling: augmenting information systems with QR Codes. Journal of Systems and Information Technology Vol. 15 (4) pp. 347-367.
- Quigley, M. & Burke, M. (2013) Low Cost Internet of Things: Digital Technology Adoption in SMEs. International Journal of Management Practice, Special Issue: ICT Adoption in Small Businesses: Beyond The Rhetoric, Vol. 6 (2) pp. 153-164.
- Emmanouilidou, M. & Burke, M. (2013) A Thematic review and the policy-analysis agenda of electronic health records in the Greek National Health System. Health Policy Vol. 109 (1) pp. 31-37.
- Burke, M. (2011) Knowledge Sharing in Emerging Economies. Guest Editor Library Review Vol. 60 (1), pp. 5-14.
- Leder, K., Karpovitch, A., Burke, M. et.al. (2010) Tagging is connecting: shared object memories as channels for social cohesion M/C Journal: A Journal of Media and Culture Vol. 13 (1) e-journal.
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