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Professor Helen Kennedy is a leading scholar in digital society at the School of Sociological Studies, Politics and International Relations , University of Sheffield . She holds the title of Professor of Digital Society and is Director of the £4 million ESRC Digital Good Network. A Fellow of the British Academy (FBA) and the Academy of Social Sciences (FacSS), her work bridges academia and public policy through collaborations with the BBC, DWP, and international media organizations. Her educational background includes a BA in English and American Studies from the University of Birmingham, an MA in Cultural Studies from the Birmingham Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies (CCCS), and a PhD from the University of East London (2002) on digital identity and multimedia. Helen's research centers on digital inequality, datafication, algorithmic culture, data ethics, and public engagement with data . She investigates how non-expert publics experience and interpret data, visualizations, and AI, with a focus on fairness, transparency, and resistance. Her work also examines data visualization in society , particularly in news media, and the emotional and cultural dimensions of data engagement. Her recent publications reveal a consistent trend in exploring public perceptions of data practices , the politics of data visualization , and ethical dimensions of data use across journalism, public services, and digital platforms. Themes include trust, fairness, emotion, and the socio-political shaping of data systems. Fellow of the British Academy (FBA) Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (FacSS) Helen has led numerous major grants from the ESRC, AHRC, Nuffield Foundation, and EPSRC , including projects like Living With Data , Generic Visuals in the News , and Seeing Data . She supervises PhD students on topics ranging from algorithmic bias to digital self-tracking and has completed 13 PhD supervisions. She actively collaborates with policy makers (DWP, BBC, DCMS) , media organizations (Financial Times, Reach PLC) , and NGOs to translate research into impact, particularly in web accessibility and data governance. She leads the Living With Data research programme and is involved in the Everyday Life and Critical Diversities and Science, Technology and Medicine in Society research groups. Her work with the ESRC Digital Good Network brings together academics, practitioners, and civil society to envision equitable digital futures.

• Digital Society
• Datafication
• Big Data
• +12 more

Susan Bradley is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Maternal and Child Health Research at City St George's, University of London . Her work focuses on equitable access to maternity care in low-income contexts, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, using interdisciplinary approaches integrating postcolonial theory and organizational studies. Education: PhD in Health Services Research (2018), City, University of London MSc in Global Health (2007), Trinity College Dublin PGCE in Secondary Science (University of Reading) BSc (Hons) in Biology (University of Sussex) Professional Experience: Research Fellow at City St George's (2018–present) Researcher at Trinity College Dublin (2007–2014) Researcher/writer at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health (2010) Her research examines power dynamics, organizational culture, and community-based care models in maternal health. She has extensive fieldwork experience in Malawi, Tanzania, and Mozambique, specializing in qualitative data analysis and capacity-building initiatives. Recent publications focus on group antenatal care, respectful maternity practices, and health workforce dynamics in low-resource settings. Key findings from her work include: Community-making in group care enhances health literacy and belonging Socio-spatial dynamics influencing maternal care access Structural barriers affecting midwives' ability to provide quality care

• Equitable access to maternity care
• Interdisciplinary research
• Power dynamics in healthcare
• +5 more

Adam Drazin is a Tutor in the Department of Anthropology at University College London (UCL), specializing in design anthropology, material culture, and consumption. He works at the intersection of academia and public engagement, collaborating with NGOs, corporate clients, and research clusters such as the ‘Business of Fashion, Textiles and Technology’ at the London College of Fashion. His research explores domesticity, care ethics, and material practices in Romania, Ireland, and the UK. Research Focus: Design anthropology, material culture, domestic consumption, and transnational home-making practices. Geographic Scope: Romania, Ireland, UK, with attention to Romanian diaspora communities. Editorial Roles: Co-editor of Home Cultures , former editor of Journal of Material Culture . Projects: Studio of Material Life, ethnographic consultancy via UCL’s Ethnographic Insights Lab. His recent work emphasizes textile innovation, care ethics in domestic spaces, and critiques of material cultures within design. Publications include Design Anthropology in Context (2021) and The Social Life of Materials (2015). He mentors postgraduate researchers and contributes to public anthropology through consultancy.

• Design Anthropology
• Material Culture
• Consumption
• +9 more

Rogério de Lemos is a Senior Lecturer in Computing Science and Director of Postgraduate Research (PGR) at the School of Computing, University of Kent. He previously served as an invited assistant professor at the University of Coimbra, Portugal, and as a Senior Research Associate at the Centre for Software Reliability (CSR) at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. Dr. de Lemos' research focuses on architecting resilient systems, particularly in resilient AI, self-adaptive software systems, and authorization infrastructures. He belongs to both the Programming Languages and Systems Group and the Cyber Security Group at the University of Kent. His specific research interests include: Software engineering for self-adaptive systems assurances and resilience evaluation Dynamic generation of processes Handling insider threats using self-adaptive authorization Architectural abstractions for fault tolerance Verification and validation of dependable software architectures Software development for safety-critical systems Dependability and bioinspired computing His publication trends show increasing emphasis on practical applications of self-adaptive systems in cyber security contexts, with recent work spanning network traffic analysis, cryptographic function detection, and cloud-edge security architectures. His research bridges theoretical foundations with practical implementations, particularly in cyber security and resilient systems architecture. Dr. de Lemos currently leads the "Collaborative and Confidential Information Sharing and Analysis for Cyber Protection" project funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 Programme. His past projects include "ADAAS: Assuring Dependability in Architecture-based Adaptive Systems" and multiple collaborations with NCR on sensor fusion and fault tolerance. As Director of Postgraduate Research, he oversees the School of Computing's research degree programs and likely supervises PhD students in resilient systems and cyber security, though specific student names are not listed in the available information.

• Resilient AI
• Self-adaptive software systems
• Authorisation infrastructures
• +7 more

Vanessa May is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Manchester and currently Head of the Department of Sociology. She holds a PhD from Abo Akademi University (2001) and has held roles including Co-Director of the Morgan Centre for Research into Everyday Lives (2018–2022). A Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, she serves as Publications Director on the British Sociological Association’s Board of Trustees. Her research focuses on self, belonging, migration, family life, temporality, and qualitative methods. Recent projects include studies on ageing in migration contexts, ageing in place, and the Claremont Court housing scheme. Her work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to social inclusion and sustainable cities. Key research interests include the interplay between temporality and the built environment, qualitative longitudinal analysis, and the sociological study of public spaces. She has led interdisciplinary projects funded by ESRC and AHRC, exploring themes like socio-emotional wellbeing in families and the impact of non-standard work hours on parenting. Her methodologies span mixed methods, narrative analysis, and biographical approaches. Education: PhD, Abo Akademi University (2001) Awards: Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences Key Projects: ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health (Co-lead for Innovative Methods) Ageing in Place longitudinal study (ESRC-funded) Claremont Court interdisciplinary project (AHRC-funded) Her recent publications address pandemic masking practices, urban family dynamics, and temporal belonging. She actively engages in public sociology through talks and editorial roles, emphasizing the societal relevance of sociological research.

• Sociology
• Belonging
• Migration
• +7 more

Professor Catherine Allerton is a faculty member in the Department of Anthropology at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). She specializes in the materialities and mobilities of everyday life, with a focus on place, kinship, childhood, migration, and temporalities in island Southeast Asia. Her fieldwork spans a two-placed village in Flores, Indonesia, and Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, East Malaysia. Her research emphasizes interdisciplinary ethnographic methods, particularly involving child participants to challenge adult-centric approaches. She launched the 'Childhood in the Migrant City' exhibition using child-taken photographs from her ESRC-sponsored research. Current projects include exploring discordant temporalities between migration systems and childhood development, as well as completing a book manuscript on moral economies of belonging. Key research interests include the social and political dimensions of landscapes, the anthropology of children, and the impacts of legal status on marginalized youth. She teaches an LSE course on 'Children and Youth in Contemporary Ethnography' and actively supervises PhD students focusing on childhood, migration, citizenship, and Southeast Asian studies. Her work addresses exclusionary practices tied to race, religion, and legal frameworks in Malaysia and Indonesia. Languages spoken include Bahasa Manggarai, English, Indonesian, and Malay. No part-time status is mentioned, indicating full-time faculty commitment.

• Childhood and Youth Studies
• Migration Studies
• Kinship and Gender
• +7 more

Nicholas Guyatt serves as Professor of North American History in the Faculty of History at the University of Cambridge and is a Fellow of Jesus College. He joined Cambridge in 2014 after teaching positions at Princeton University, Simon Fraser University, and the University of York. His academic foundation includes a BA and M.Phil. from the University of Cambridge and a Ph.D. from Princeton University under Daniel T. Rodgers. Guyatt's research centers on race, national identity, and state formation in 18th-19th century America, with core expertise in colonial history, the Atlantic World, and intellectual history of American imperialism. His work critically examines racial segregation, maritime history, and evolving concepts of citizenship and world order. Analysis of his recent publications reveals consistent thematic focus on racial ideologies, colonization projects, and imperial thought across the early republic and Civil War eras. His scholarship demonstrates methodological breadth spanning political, intellectual, and social history with particular attention to African American experiences and transnational connections. His distinguished recognition includes: Stanford Humanities Center Faculty Fellow (2009-2010) British Academy Mid-Career Fellow (2013-2014) Senior Visiting Research Fellow at Oxford's Rothermere American Institute (2013-2014) He actively supervises M.Phil. and Ph.D. candidates in 18th-19th century American/Atlantic history, especially welcoming research on Native Americans, African Americans, slavery/abolition, and empire. His editorial leadership with Zed Books' 'Global History of the Present' series reflects commitment to diversifying historical scholarship beyond Eurocentric frameworks. Current major projects include co-authoring 'Jefferson's Wolf: The Struggle to End Slavery in the Founding Era' (Harvard University Press, 2026) and editing 'The Oxford Illustrated History of the United States' (OUP, 2026), demonstrating sustained scholarly productivity through collaborative academic networks.

• Race and National Belonging
• Intellectual History of American Imperialism
• Colonial American History
• +7 more

Renasha Khan is a Lecturer in Religion, Politics and Ethics at King’s College London, based in the Department of Theology & Religious Studies within the Faculty of Arts & Humanities. She holds a PhD in the Sociology of Religion from King’s College London. Her research focuses on digital religion, examining how social media shapes narratives of British Bangladeshi Muslim women’s agency, identity, and belonging through decolonial and feminist methodologies. She co-designed decolonised pedagogical modules at King’s, emphasizing lived experiences and challenging dominant epistemologies. Her teaching spans religion, politics, ethics, sociology, race, and gender at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, employing film and digital media to foster critical thinking. Beyond academia, she is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and media consultant for BBC, Sky Arts, and National Geographic. She co-founded Forward Culture to empower South Asian women and leads the Religion, Neurodiversity and Disability Network. Publications include Living the Muslim Atlantic: Race, Gender, and the Politics of Marginality (2020) and works addressing digital activism and Muslim women’s online identities. She actively engages in policy work on digital rights and inclusive futures through her roles at the British Sociological Association and King’s College London.

• Digital Religion
• Lived Religion
• Gender and Religion
• +3 more

Stuart Croft is Vice-Chancellor & President of the University of Warwick and Professor of International Security in the Department of Politics and International Studies (PAIS). Since joining Warwick in 2007 he has served as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research (Arts & Social Sciences), Provost, and since February 2016 as the University’s chief executive, leading 5,500 staff across all disciplines. Education & Career: 18 years at the University of Birmingham, latterly Professor of International Relations and Head of the School of Social Sciences. Appointed Professor of International Security, University of Warwick, January 2007. Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research (Arts & Social Sciences) 2011-2013. Provost 2013-2016. Vice-Chancellor & President from February 2016. Research Interests: Professor Croft’s scholarship lies at the intersection of security studies and political culture, using constructivist and narrative approaches to analyse how identities and discourses shape security policy. He has published extensively on the War on Terror, NATO transformation, European security governance, and the securitisation of Islam in Britain. His work combines large-scale funded empirical projects with theoretical innovation in International Relations. Publications & Grants Trend: Over the past two decades his output has clustered around three themes—cultural narratives of terrorism and counter-radicalisation, institutional governance of Euro-Atlantic security (NATO/EU), and arms-control regimes—moving from traditional strategic studies toward critical security approaches that foreground identity, discourse and governance. Scientific Awards & Fellowships: Academician, Academy of Social Sciences (2006) Fellow, Royal Society of Arts (2006) International Studies Association – International Security Section Book Award short-list 2007 Doctoral Supervision & Mentoring: He has successfully supervised 21 PhD students at Birmingham and Warwick, examined 25 UK PhDs as external examiner, and currently supervises 6 doctoral researchers. He has mentored 9 ESRC, EU and British Academy post-doctoral fellows. Editorial & Professional Leadership: Editor of the Palgrave ‘New Security Challenges’ book series since 2005; co-editor of Contemporary Security Policy 1989-2004; editorial board member of Critical Studies on Terrorism and Dynamics of Asymmetric Conflict . Chair (2009-2011) and President (2011-2013) of the British International Studies Association.

• International Security
• Security Governance
• Constructivist Security Studies
• +5 more

Dr. Susana Castro-Kemp is an Associate Professor in Psychology and Human Development at University College London's Institute of Education (IOE), where she serves as Director of the Centre for Inclusive Education (CIE) since September 2023. Previously, she was a Reader in Education at the University of Roehampton for eight years. Her work focuses on inclusive education policy and practice globally, with particular expertise in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), early childhood intervention, and mental health in schools. The IOE has been ranked number one in the world for Education for several consecutive years, providing an ideal environment for her impactful research. Dr. Castro-Kemp holds a PhD in Psychology jointly awarded in 2012 by the University of Porto (Portugal) and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (USA). Her doctoral research was fully funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology/European Commission and the Global Education and Development Studies scholarships. She is a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society, a Senior Fellow of Advance HE, and a Recognised Research Supervisor by the UK Council for Graduate Education. Dr. Castro-Kemp's research centers on policy regulating education, health, and welfare services for children, particularly those with support needs. She examines inclusive education practices from users' perspectives, policy models leading to effective inclusive pedagogy, and country-level policy impacts on outcomes for children with special educational needs. Her work moves away from diagnostic labels toward engagement and civic participation as educational outcomes. She also investigates inclusion and early intervention in low- and middle-income countries, mental health in schools, and quality of early childhood education. Her recent publications reveal several key trends in inclusive education research. There's growing emphasis on understanding educational experiences through the voices of children and families rather than diagnostic labels. Much of her work examines the implementation gap between inclusive education policy and classroom practice. She has conducted significant research on how children with special educational needs experienced the pandemic, revealing both challenges and unexpected "silver linings" for some groups. Her corpus analysis of Ofsted reports shows narrow focus in early childhood education inspections, while her work on SEND policy increasingly takes an international comparative approach. Dr. Castro-Kemp has received recognition for her impactful work, including: Best Digital Humanities Project for Community Engagement Prize (2023) from the National Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences of South Africa for her project "Optimising collaborations and reducing inequalities of Early Childhood Intervention in post-Covid-19 South Africa" Dr. Castro-Kemp has secured approximately £1.3 million in research funding from various sources including ESRC, British Academy/Leverhulme Trust, European Commission, and private sponsors. Her current major project is 'ScopeSEND' (2024-2026), funded by the Nuffield Foundation (£250,000), examining international SEND policies. She has led numerous projects including "Transdisciplinary provision for children with disabilities in the Global South" (£3,500), "Optimising collaborations in South Africa" (£47,200), and "Froebel meets Ofsted" (£19,185). As a supervisor, she mentors MA/MSc and PhD students in education policy, early childhood, and inclusive education, having been nominated for student choice awards for excellent feedback and outstanding research supervision. As Director of the UCL Centre for Inclusive Education since 2023, Dr. Castro-Kemp leads a team focused on advancing knowledge exchange and research in inclusion and special needs. The Centre works with schools, educators, parents, and early years settings to translate research into practice. Her international collaborations include work with the World Health Organization as a technical advisor on the use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) system in educational contexts. She also serves on the SEN Policy Research Forum and has provided oral evidence to the House of Commons Education Select Committee.

• Inclusive Education
• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
• Education Policy
• +7 more

Dr. Anna Bagnoli is a Tutor and Director of Studies for Human Social and Political Sciences (HSPS) at Wolfson College, University of Cambridge. She is affiliated with the Department of Sociology and contributes to methodological training in qualitative and visual research methods. Her research bridges social sciences and arts, focusing on identity processes, migration, and gender. Alma Mater: PhD from University of Cambridge (2001) Research: Methodological innovation, narrative analysis, migration of Southern Europeans Her methodological expertise includes creative arts-based methods , visual research , and autobiographical narratives . She has led projects like Picturing Identities and Wolfson’s Worlds , exploring migration, belonging, and cultural capital reconstruction. Anna’s recent publications emphasize gendered migration experiences , arts-based research , and identity construction through visual methods . Key topics include the interplay of migration with science career aspirations, narrative ethics, and longitudinal youth studies. Scientific Awards EC Marie Curie TMR Fellowship (1998-2000) ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship (2002-2003) Nuffield Foundation Grant (2010) She supervises doctoral students in migration, gender, and narrative research, with a focus on participatory and arts-driven approaches. Anna is also involved in the Cambridge Migration Research Network (Cammigres).

• Methodological Innovation in Social Sciences
• Qualitative Research Methods
• Creative Methods
• +7 more

Claire Mercer is a Professor of Human Geography at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), based in the Department of Geography and Environment. Her research focuses on urbanization in Africa, particularly in Tanzania, examining how middle-class identities are constructed through suburban housing and self-build practices. She explores themes of class reproduction, urban inequality, and the intersection of civil society with development policies. Mercer is a leading scholar in African urban studies, with expertise in diaspora networks, postcolonial geographies, and NGO dynamics. Her current research project, funded by the ESRC, investigates how self-build housing in Ghana and Tanzania drives urban and economic growth. She has authored multiple books and articles, including the upcoming monograph The suburban frontier: middle class construction in Dar es Salaam (University of California Press, 2024). Mercer serves on editorial boards for journals such as the International Journal of Urban and Regional Research and Antipode , contributing to critical debates in development geography. Her work spans interdisciplinary themes including African urbanism, spatial inequality, and the politics of belonging. Key regions of focus include Tanzania, Cameroon, and the UK. Mercer’s research bridges theoretical frameworks from human geography with empirical studies of African urbanization, emphasizing the material and aesthetic dimensions of class formation in peripheral urban areas.

• Human Geography
• Urbanization in Africa
• Middle Class Dynamics
• +5 more

Professor Emma Moore is a leading sociolinguist at the School of English, University of Sheffield . Specializing in the social dimensions of language, her work integrates methodologies from anthropology and sociology to investigate how linguistic variation constructs identity and social affiliations. Research focus: Sociolinguistic style, dialect contact, youth language, identity negotiation, and community-based fieldwork Key projects: Adolescence and grammar (1999-), Isles of Scilly dialect (2008-), language and inequality (2014-), language perception software (2016-) Educational background : PhD in Sociolinguistics, University of Manchester Stanford University (USA) during PhD research Research trends across her 2021-2025 publications reveal interdisciplinary exploration of: Socio-syntactic variation Clinical linguistics (2025 MDS-UPDRS studies) Digital discourse post-pandemic Indexicality and cognitive representations Dialect contact in insular communities Educational policy implications Scientific recognition : British Academy Mid-Career Fellow (2019-2020) Elected Fellow, Royal Anthropological Institute (2014) AHRC/BA funded research projects (1999-2015) Research group leadership : Mentored 9 PhD students (2004-2024) and supervised 3 undergraduate SURE projects, including analyses of: Gender in rap performance Language style and workplace inequality Oral history digitization Professional contributions : Editorial Board: Language in Society (2015-), Gender and Language (2011-2017) External Examiner: Lancaster University MA in English Language (2013-2017) Collaborative software development for dialect perception testing

• Sociolinguistics
• Syntax
• Language Variation
• +12 more

Professor Helen Finch (University of Leeds) is a leading scholar in German Literature , with a focus on Holocaust Studies , Queer Memory , and German-Jewish Cultural Production . Affiliated with the School of Languages, Cultures and Societies and the Centre for Jewish Studies , she co-leads the LCS Queer Area Studies Network and contributes to equality initiatives through the LGBT+ staff network . Research: Holocaust representation in German works, queer identity in postwar literature, transnational memory studies, curriculum design in German studies Awards: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2014) Academic Output : Her 15 most recent publications span Holocaust poetics , queer life writing , translation ethics , and Sebaldian intertextuality , with a particular focus on intersections between trauma , identity , and intergenerational testimony . Supervision : Currently guides PhD research on topics including transnational transphobia , queer art practices , and LGBTQ+ cross-cultural representation . Her students explore areas from German exile photography to postcolonial queer narratives .

• German Literature
• Holocaust Studies
• Queer Studies
• +7 more

Dr Marion Kant is a Lecturer in the Department of German at the University of Cambridge's Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics. Her work bridges musicology and dance history, focusing on body politics, the history and aesthetics of performance (theatre, opera, dance, ballet), German-Jewish relations, Nazi ideology, and anti-fascist exile. Her research explores the intersection of physical culture, nationalism, and avant-garde arts. She is currently editing a six-volume Cultural History of Dance for Bloomsbury, examining German nationalism and movement concepts from the 19th and 20th centuries. Her publications span German physical cultures, nationalist ideologies, and the role of dance in exile communities. Key Research Themes: Body aesthetics, German-Jewish assimilation, Nazi cultural policies, avant-garde movements, and transnational exile networks. Notable Projects: Analysis of Nazi-era dance policies, documentation of anti-fascist artists in Los Angeles, and historical studies of German physical cultures.

• Musicology
• Dance History
• Body Politics
• +5 more