Heidi Christensen

Heidi Christensen

Professor at the University of Sheffield, UK

Heidi Christensen’s website

I am a Professor and the Head of the School of Computer Science at the University of Sheffield. My research is situated at the intersection of speech technology, AI, and healthcare, where I focus on developing machine learning systems that use spontaneous speech and language biomarkers to detect early signs of clinical conditions.

A major focus of my work is CognoSpeak™, an automated, remote assessment tool for cognitive impairment. My team and I recently published our latest findings on its clinical utility in the IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics (2025). We are also expanding these technologies to support stroke recovery and Motor Neurone Disease (MND).

Beyond my research, I am a dedicated advocate for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), having previously served as the Faculty Director of EDI and led the University to a successful Athena SWAN Silver institutional renewal. I currently have over 3,800 citations and an h-index of 36, reflecting my commitment to bridging AI innovation with impactful, real-world healthcare solutions.

  • the automatic recognition of disordered, atypical speech,
  • the detection and tracking of verbal and non-verbal traits in speech and language
  • Equality, diversity and inclusion issues in speech technology research and applications