Meet Dr Kate Han, Lecturer in Information System and Digital Business here at Salford Business School. From completing her PhD followed by a research fellowship, she acquired a keen interest in researching data science, automation, scheduling, and transportation simulation and optimisation.
Moving into her fourth year at Salford, she spends her time solving complex, real-world optimisation challenges with artificial intelligence (AI), working with funded research projects, and supporting students to build innovative and sustainable applications.
We spoke with Kate to find out more about how she got into academia, her favourite memories of Salford, and her current research.
How did you get into academia as a career path?
I completed a PhD in Software Engineering at Queen’s University Belfast, where I built a strong interest in research. Following this, I joined Robert Gordon University as a Research Fellow, where I spent four years developing my research portfolio and working on various European projects. During that time, I discovered an enthusiasm for teaching, where it allowed me to focus on the practical side of these subjects.
Why did you choose to work at the University of Salford?
Salford offered me more opportunities to develop my teaching alongside research, which is important to me. I was also drawn to the University’s applied, industry-facing focus, and I enjoy living and working in Manchester.
What’s the best thing about being an academic at Salford?
It’s always exciting to see students produce great work. In my module, Prompt Engineering for Business, it introduces students to core concepts, such as prompt engineering, context engineering, and vibe coding. Helping students to apply these techniques to real-life business case studies. My students become genuinely passionate about when they successfully build their first AI agent using Google AI Studio, boosting their confidence and enhancing their engagement with my teaching.
Also, in my Web App Development module, students build live websites and public GitHub repository, which it’s always exciting to see their plans come to life.
Can you tell us about any career highlights to date?
Since joining Salford Business School, I have been able to collaborate with academics from a wide range of disciplines, which has made my work more diverse and interdisciplinary. For example, I was honoured to serve on the programme committee, with Salford Business School as a co-host institution of Ukraine’s 3rd International Conference Challenges and Reality of the IT-space: Software Engineering and Cybersecurity (SECS). I’ve also worked with Dr Yun Chen to introduce AI-assisted coding and AI-assisted student support to enhance teaching and learning.
Additionally, while working in Salford Business School, I progressed to becoming a Principal Investigator of several projects, where I lead the research team at Salford Business School by setting the research direction, design and methodology, and oversee modelling, analysis and project outputs. My projects include supplier selection simulation and carbon/sustainability modelling.
What’s your current research focused on?
My current research focuses on operational research, with a strong focus on solving problems in transportation systems and sustainability. This involves using mathematical modelling, simulation and optimisation to improve transport systems, while reducing environmental impact. An example of my work includes developing multimodal transport models, personal carbon credits, and tram extension simulation.
Do you have any published papers we can read?
I’ve published research on a range of topics, from simulation and optimisation to innovative teaching and learning. You can find my latest publications on Google Scholar.
And finally, where in Manchester or Salford is best to grab a coffee?
The Old Fire Station is the best place. I prefer to get a white hot chocolate.