Roderick Watkins

Roderick Watkins is the Vice Chancellor of Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), appointed in February 2019. Previously, he served as Pro Vice Chancellor and Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences (2014–2015) and Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research and Innovation) (2015–2019). Before joining ARU, he was Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Canterbury Christ Church University and held the title of Professor of Composition and Contemporary Music since 2005.

Education: BA in Philosophy and BMus in Composition (Oberlin College and Conservatory of Music); MMus and PhD (Royal Academy of Music); postgraduate training at IRCAM, Paris. His composition teachers included Hans Werner Henze, with whom he collaborated extensively in the 1990s and 2000s.

Research interests focus on digital sound synthesis, blending acoustic and synthetic timbres, and contemporary opera. Notable works include *The Juniper Tree* (Munich Biennale/Almeida Opera, 1997), praised as a “triumph” by *The Times*, *Labirinto* (Montepulciano Festival, 1991), and collaborations with ensembles like the London Sinfonietta and Ensemble Intercontemporain.

Professional service includes membership on the AHRC Peer Review College, Lord Stern’s Review of the Research Excellence Framework (2015–16), and the Research England/UUK Knowledge Exchange Concordat Working Group (2018). He has served on charitable and arts organization boards, including roles in external examining and peer reviewing.