Leela Damodaran, AcSS, MIoD, is Emeritus Professor of Digital Inclusion and Participation at Loughborough University. She specialises in the behavioural aspects and human use of information and communications technologies (ICTs), planning of change and transition, strategies for social and digital inclusion, citizen engagement and participation.

Leela has worked on and led a wide range of programmes and projects variously in research, consulting, or advisory roles. In recent years this has included the New Dynamics of Ageing Programme ‘Sus-IT’ project to develop understanding of the use of digital technologies by older people and solutions to promote their digital participation and the EPSRC funded KT-Equal consortium established specifically to exploit a decade of investment in ageing and disability research. Leela has authored 7 books, a wide range of papers in academic journals and conference proceedings and numerous project reports.

As well as engaging in academic research, Leela collaborates with government departments, local government, ‘blue-chip’ companies, and other key stakeholder groups to inform policy, strategy and design decisions relating to ICT products, systems and services. She was a member of the Ofcom Strategic Advisory Board (OSAB) from its inception and currently is a member of the Digital Inclusion Stakeholder Group of the Government Digital Strategy team and of the DWP-led Age Action Alliance Digital Inclusion Group. She serves frequently on the steering/advisory groups for research projects run by other organisations.