Lisa Thorley

Dr. Lisa Thorley is an Associate Professor in Gender and International Development Practice at the University of Leeds' School of Politics and International Studies (POLIS), where she also serves as Deputy Director for Student Education. She joined POLIS in 2019 with extensive experience in international development evaluation, having worked with UN organizations, the World Bank, and NGOs. Her research focuses on gender dynamics in development, including sexual/reproductive health rights, HIV stigma, poverty reduction, and the Sustainable Development Goals. Current projects examine violence against sex workers and HIV transmission in Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, alongside climate change impacts on health, food security, and gender-based violence in Uganda.

• Education: PhD in Development and Economic Research (thesis: Women's land access and food security in post-conflict Northern Uganda)

Dr. Thorley teaches modules such as Gender, Globalisation and Development, Development Theory and Practice, and supervises postgraduate researchers. Her work bridges academic research and practical policy, informed by her career in development consulting and university roles at the University of Bradford and Muzumbe University in Tanzania.