Central team
Leah Goldie (she/her)
Role: Knowledge Exchange Placements and Partnerships Officer
Contact details: leah.goldie@manchester.ac.uk
Leah joined the NWCDTP in January 2026 and supports PGRs taking part in career and skills development placements, internships, overseas research visits, and academic exchanges. She offers friendly, practical guidance at every stage of the placement process — from exploring ideas to shaping a project with an external partner. Leah also works closely with DTP institutions and helps coordinate the researcher development training programme.
Before joining the NWCDTP, Leah worked in national policing in vetting, and HR. She brings experience in supporting people through structured processes, working with partner organisations, and helping individuals find opportunities that fit their strengths — all of which now supports her work with PGRs.
Dr Hannah Helm (she/her)
Role: EDI Advocate
Contact details: h.j.helm@edu.salford.ac.uk
Hannah is passionate about developing a positive research culture and community that values and supports everybody from all backgrounds and experiences, working to challenge inequalities, increase representation, and improve access for our postgraduate researchers. Hannah joined the NWCDTP as EDI Advocate in October 2023 following the completion of her own PhD studies. She works with the NWCDTP on a part-time basis to address EDI issues and improve inclusivity and accessibility, enhancing the student experience for current and future PhD researchers. In particular, Hannah is undertaking a thorough review of the NWCDTP’s overall structure and leads on application support, governance, student engagement and professional development, widening participation activities, and EDI training. Hannah is enthusiastic about taking a student-centred approach to her work within the NWCDTP, ensuring that the student voice is heard in discussions surrounding the EDI Action Plan, EDI Committee, and procedures, policy, and communication strategies within the NWCDTP more broadly.
Beyond her role as EDI Advocate, Hannah is also a sessional lecturer in English Literature (University of Salford), Impact and Engagement Fellow on the AHRC-funded South African Modernism: 1880-2020 research project, and ‘Widening Participation in Research’ lead in the Doctoral School (University of Salford), where she has designed and delivered a Widening Participation Summer Programme for underrepresented undergraduate students in order to increase access to postgraduate study. Beyond her work, Hannah’s research interests include nineteenth-century and children’s literatures, with a particular focus on feminist, anti-sanist, and anti-ableist representations of women in literature and film, and she is currently working on publishing her PhD thesis as a monograph.
If you would like to get in touch with Hannah to learn more about her role, ask questions, or get involved with the EDI Group and other EDI activities, then please contact her (h.j.helm@edu.salford.ac.uk) to have a conversation via email or Teams.
Professor Jerome de Groot (he/ him)
Role: Director
Contact details: Jerome.degroot@Manchester.ac.uk
Jerome joined the NWCDTP as Director in 2020, having previously been Deputy Director in 2016-17. As Director he coordinates the DTP’s institutions, working closely with each of the member organisations to ensure that the partnership maximises the potential of the region. He leads the DTP’s development and in particular engages with the AHRC, our key funder. He has particular oversight on finance, recruitment, EDI, training, collaboration and partnerships.
Jerome teaches in the English Literature, American Studies, and Creative Writing Department at the University of Manchester, where he’s been a Professor since 2019.
If you are interested in new funding ideas, EDI, thinking about different types of training, or simply sharing your work, please get in touch with Jerome!