Dr Yinka Somorin is a researcher and research development specialist with over 15 years’ experience across research, teaching, capacity building, and international advisory roles in academia, industry and the international development sector.

He holds a PhD in Microbiology from the National University of Ireland, Galway (now University of Galway). Dr. Somorin is a Visiting Professor at Ajayi Crowther University, Nigeria, with research expertise in food safety, antimicrobial resistance research, diagnostics development, and infectious diseases across African and European universities.

Dr Somorin is passionate about supporting the careers of researchers and inclusive research leadership and is dedicated to empowering individuals to realise their full potential in academic research and beyond academia. He led an institutional programme to support the careers of researchers at the University of Glasgow, United Kingdom, and has mentored researchers from across Africa to improve their research writing and develop academic leadership skills.

Based on his expertise, Dr. Somorin has experience in evaluating research quality and sits on international expert committees to evaluate and shortlist funding proposals. He is an Expert Evaluator for the European Commission’s Horizon Europe and the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP3) calls; a member of the Accelerator Award Shortlisting Advisory Committee at the Wellcome Trust; and an External Examiner at North West University, South Africa.

He has delivered consultancy services for the DAAD: German Academic Exchange Service, Association of African Universities, North West University, International Water Management Institute, and the European Commission, in the areas of higher education development, academic writing, academic leadership development, doctoral education, research communications and knowledge management. 

Dr. Somorin founded RBridge Research and Advisory based on his commitment to strengthening research ecosystems by supporting underrepresented researchers to engage fully and supporting institutions to provide an inclusive environment for researchers to thrive.

His work is informed by direct experience of navigating careers within universities and across sectors in Europe and Africa. Dr Somorin runs Professional Development Workshops at the Minoritised Life Scientists Future Forum, Europe’s only conference dedicated to life scientists from marginalised and underrepresented backgrounds. He also leads several capacity-building initiatives and works with institutions and organisations across Africa to advance this cause.