Rebecca Herissone is Professor of Musicology at the University of Manchester and a leading scholar in early modern English music. She co-edits the peer-reviewed journal Music & Letters and serves on editorial boards for the Purcell Society, Musica Britannica, and the Complete Works of John Eccles. Her research focuses on seventeenth-century creativity, material culture, and the ontological dimensions of music notation. Key research areas: Early Modern Music, Creativity, Source Study, Notation, Reception Major awards: Diana McVeagh Prize (2015), Westrup Prize (2007) Her recent work includes digital humanities projects on music preservation and critical editions of Purcell's operas. She has pioneered interdisciplinary approaches connecting musicology with drama, art, and literature, and currently leads research on Purcell's posthumous reception in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Her teaching spans music historiography, performance practices, and advanced source analysis.
Jennifer Rushworth is an Associate Professor in French and Comparative Literature at University College London (SELCS). She holds a DPhil in Medieval and Modern Languages from the University of Oxford (2010–2013) and previously served as a Junior Research Fellow at St John's College, Oxford (2013–2017). Her research focuses on mourning, medievalism, music, and interdisciplinary studies spanning literary theory, cultural analysis, and philosophy. She has published extensively, including her monograph Proust’s Songbook (Penn Press, 2024). Her work aligns with Sustainable Development Goals 4 (Quality Education), 5 (Gender Equality), and 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). Education: DPhil in Medieval and Modern Languages, University of Oxford (2010–2013) Her research integrates musicological, philosophical, and critical-theoretical approaches to modern literature. Recent work explores intersections between memory, aesthetics, and cultural heritage. She teaches courses on comparative literature, medievalism, and French literature. Her academic contributions emphasize interdisciplinary dialogue, with a focus on how literary and musical forms articulate historical and philosophical themes.
Oliver Chandler is a Senior Lecturer in Music at the University of Oxford and holds multiple lecturing roles at Hertford College, Keble College, St Hugh's College, and Queen's College. He also serves as an academic professor at the Royal College of Music. His research focuses on music analysis, particularly in British music, chromaticism, and tonal theory, with notable works on Edward Elgar, Reginald Smith Brindle, and guitar repertoire. Chandler has been awarded the 2024 Adele Katz Early Career Researcher Award for his contributions to music theory. His research interests span music theory, including (neo-)Riemannian theory, Schenkerian analysis, and guitar studies. He co-authored Return to Riemann: Tonal Function and Chromatic Music (2024) and edited Born by the Thames: Stephen Dodgson, a Centenary Celebration (2024). His work often bridges historical and analytical approaches, exploring topics like Elgar’s chamber music and the interplay of tonality and serialism. Awards: Adele Katz Early Career Researcher Award (2024) Editorial Roles: Member of Soundboard Scholar editorial board and Cambridge Cohort for Guitar Research Grants & Collaboration: Collaborations on projects including analyses of Elgar’s works and studies on British modernist composers. Chandler’s publications span journals such as Music & Letters and Music Analysis , with a focus on analytical methodologies and British musical heritage. His research underscores the enduring relevance of tonal frameworks in understanding 20th-century music.
Professor Bennett Zon is a faculty member at Durham University’s Department of Music , with affiliations to the Centre for Catholic Studies . He founded and directs the Centre for Nineteenth-Century Studies and the Centre for Nineteenth-Century Studies International . His editorial roles include Nineteenth-Century Music Review , Yale Journal of Music and Religion , and multiple book series. Research Focus : Music's intersections with religion and science in the long nineteenth century, including liturgical traditions, evolutionary discourse, and colonial representations of non-Western music. Key Publications : Four monographs on plainchant revival, musicology's metaphorical frameworks, non-Western music representation, and evolution's impact on Victorian musical culture (2000–2017). Academic Leadership : Co-founder of the International Network for Music Theology and International Nineteenth-Century Studies Association .
Seb Falk is a College Fellow and Research Fellow at Girton College, University of Cambridge, and a Senior Admissions Tutor. He holds academic roles including Praelector and Director of Studies for the Cambridge Foundation Year. His research focuses on medieval mathematical sciences, particularly astronomy, navigation, and the history of scientific instruments and texts. Falk earned a BA in History and Spanish from Oxford University, followed by an MPhil and PhD in History and Philosophy of Science from Cambridge. His research explores the interplay between religion, literature, and science in the Middle Ages, challenging the 'Dark Ages' narrative. Key projects include studies on late medieval astronomical tables and instruments, and a global comparative analysis of natural sciences around the year 1000. Falk has published widely, including the acclaimed book The Light Ages (2020), which was shortlisted for the Hughes Prize and awarded the Osterbrock Prize in 2025. His articles span topics like medieval astronomical practices, manuscript studies, and the cultural history of science. Falk is also a sought-after media contributor, appearing on BBC programs and podcasts, and has engaged in public outreach through lectures and museum collaborations.
Rev Dr Michael Fuller is a Lecturer in Science and Religion at the University of Edinburgh's School of Divinity. He holds degrees in Chemistry (MA and DPhil from Oxford) and Theology (BA from Cambridge), with additional ordination in the Scottish Episcopal Church. His work bridges science-religion dialogue, theological analysis of literature and music, and ethical considerations of emerging technologies like big data. Qualifications include: MA Chemistry (Oxford, 1989) DPhil Chemistry (Oxford, 1989) BA Theology (Cambridge, 1991) Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2010) Fellow of the International Society for Science and Religion (2016) Research interests emphasize interdisciplinary dialogue between scientific disciplines and religious thought, particularly exploring human uniqueness, ethics of technology, and theological interpretation in music and literature. Recent work examines big data's ethical implications and Wagnerian redemption narratives. Key affiliations include: Vice-President for Publications, European Society for the Study of Science and Theology International Advisory Board member for Zagreb University's CePOZiR Centre Former Chair of the Science and Religion Forum Publications include over ten edited volumes and numerous articles on science-religion interface topics. His work often addresses public intellectualism, advocating for constructive dialogue between scientific and religious communities.
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.
Dr. Philip Kirby is a Senior Lecturer in the History of Education at King’s College London’s School of Education, Communication & Society. He joined in 2020 after roles at the University of Oxford, the Sutton Trust, and the University of Exeter. His research focuses on the historical and social dimensions of specific learning difficulties like dyslexia and dyspraxia, alongside children’s culture and education policy. His notable work includes Dyslexia: A History (2022, co-authored with Prof. Margaret J. Snowling) and entries in encyclopedias like Palgrave Encyclopedia of Disability . He also explores geopolitical themes in media, including film scores and video games. Recent projects include Delphi studies on dyslexia assessment and policy reform. His research spans education policy, private tuition dynamics, and the intersection of popular culture with disability ethics. He actively contributes to interdisciplinary initiatives like the Centre for Public Policy Research, addressing social justice in education and policy.
David De Roure is Professor of e-Research at the University of Oxford and Academic Director of both the Digital Scholarship initiative and the Laboratory for AI Security Research. He is also an Honorary Research Professor at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), where he serves as Technical Director of the Centre for Practice & Research in Science & Music (PRiSM). His work bridges computer science, digital humanities, cybersecurity, and music through his distinctive interdisciplinary approach. De Roure received his PhD in 1990 supervised by David W Barron and Peter Henderson, with research in Lisp and distributed systems. Prior to joining Oxford in 2010, he was Professor of Computer Science at the University of Southampton and Director of the Centre for Pervasive Computing in the Environment. His career spans multiple institutions and research domains, reflecting his commitment to interdisciplinary work. De Roure's research focuses on new methods of digital scholarship, innovation in knowledge infrastructure, cybersecurity, and computational approaches to music. His work uniquely combines humanities (digital musicology), social sciences (social machines and web science), engineering (Internet of Things), and computer science (distributed systems, AI). A key theme is empowering human creativity through technology rather than replacing humans with AI. He emphasizes co-creation between humans and machines, particularly in music composition where he explores how algorithms can generate fragments for human assembly. His recent publications reveal a strong focus on AI security in IoT systems, digital scholarship methods, and the intersection of music with computational approaches. There's a clear trajectory from foundational work in social machines and web science toward current applications in cybersecurity and music-AI co-creation. His publications consistently bridge technical domains with humanistic inquiry, demonstrating his commitment to interdisciplinary scholarship that addresses real-world challenges. Fellow of the British Computer Society (FBCS) Fellow of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (FIMA) Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) Chartered IT Professional (CITP) Turing Fellow at The Alan Turing Institute (2018-2024) De Roure has co-founded three major interdisciplinary initiatives: PETRAS National Centre of Excellence for IoT Systems Cybersecurity (the world's largest socio-technical research center focused on IoT security), the Software Sustainability Institute (dedicated to improving research software), and PRiSM at RNCM. He was Director of the Oxford e-Research Centre from 2012-17 and has led numerous research projects including SOCIAM (The Theory and Practice of Social Machines), FAST (Fusing Audio and Semantic Technologies), and Transforming Musicology. The Laboratory for AI Security Research, which he directs, took its first PhD students in 2024. At Oxford, De Roure chairs the Digital Research Cluster at Wolfson College and oversees the Laboratory for AI Security Research. The PRiSM team at RNCM has produced numerous musical works and performances, including six premieres in New York in 2024. He has been involved in designing gesture recognition software used in many performances and has collaborated on public engagement projects including the Science Together project which released a Hip Hop album. His current work includes exploring Chladni Plates for new musical instrument design and developing algorithmically enhanced instruments.
Dr. Daniel Matlin is a Reader (equivalent to Associate Professor) in the History of the United States since 1865 at King's College London, affiliated with the Faculty of Arts & Humanities and the Department of History. He joined King's in 2012 after previous academic positions at Queen Mary University of London (as Leverhulme Early Career Fellow) and Cambridge University, where he served as Director of Studies at the Centre for History and Economics. His research examines the intersection of race, intellectual life, and urban space in 20th-century America, with specializations in: African-American intellectual/cultural history Civil rights and Black Power movements Historical constructions of race and Black diasporic identity Urban history (particularly Harlem and New York City) Jazz history and cultural expression Publication analysis reveals consistent focus on Harlem as both physical space and cultural symbol, with interdisciplinary approaches bridging history, visual culture, musicology, and urban studies. His works critically analyze racial representation, community formation, and the politics of space. Awards & Honors: Arthur Miller Centre First Book Prize for On the Corner: African American Intellectuals and the Urban Crisis Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship He actively supervises PhD students in African-American history, civil rights, black nationalist thought, and 20th-century cultural history. Grant-funded projects include 'Race Capital? Harlem as Place and Symbol since 1900.' Matlin engages extensively with public history through lectures at institutions like the National Theatre and Black Cultural Archives.
Professor Caroline Rae at Cardiff University is a leading scholar in 20th-century French music , with a focus on composers like Debussy, Messiaen, Jolivet, and Boulez. She also specializes in the musical writings of Alejo Carpentier and Franco-Latin American cultural interactions . Her research combines archival studies, performance practice, and pianism. Education : DPhil (Oxford), MA (Oxon), Dipl. Mus (Hanover), ARCM Her research projects include monographs on André Jolivet and Debussy’s Préludes , supported by the British Academy and AHRC . Recent publications span books on Carpentier, Debussy, and Stravinsky’s reception in France. As Co-Director of CFMR , she has organized international symposia with institutions like the Institut Français and Paul Sacher Foundation . Scientific awards include the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (2018), Cardiff University Research Fellowship (2018-2019), and a French Government Scholarship (1982-1983). She has served on juries for the BBC Young Musician Competition and Wales International Piano Competition . As a pianist , she studied under Dame Fanny Waterman , Yvonne Loriod-Messiaen , and Karl-Heinz Kämmerling , and performs lecture-recitals linking her research. She has advised orchestras like the Philharmonia Orchestra and BBC National Orchestra of Wales on festival programming.
Professor Matthew Head is Professor of Music at King's College London. Educated at Oxford and Yale, his research explores German Romantic keyboard music, Enlightenment subjectivity, and representations of gender in 18th-century musical cultures. His monograph 'Sovereign Feminine' examines music's role in constructing femininity during this period. Current projects investigate expressive practices in Haydn, Mozart, and C.P.E. Bach, analyzing emotional dimensions like terror, melancholy, and desire through keyboard works. He co-directs widening participation initiatives bridging King's College and St George's musical communities.
Ruth Padel is a Visiting Professor of Poetry at King's College London, acclaimed poet, and author. Her work bridges classical scholarship, conservation science, and literary creativity. Education: D.Phil in Classics from University of Oxford (Greek tragedy and medicine). Research: Poetry composition, Darwinian studies, conservation narratives, and classical reception in contemporary culture. Current projects explore Beethoven/Schubert biographies in verse and migration ecology. Awards & Leadership: First Prize in National Poetry Competition; chaired judging panels for T.S. Eliot Prize and Forward Prize. Fellow of Royal Society of Literature and Zoological Society of London. Public Engagement: Frequent broadcaster (BBC Radio 3/4); international festival appearances including Jaipur Literature Festival and Edinburgh Festival.
Dr. Marle Hammond is a Professor at SOAS University of London in the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics, specializing in Arabic Literature and Middle Eastern and North African cinema. She earned her PhD from Columbia University in 2003 and has held prestigious fellowships at St. John's College and as a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow at Oxford University before joining SOAS in 2010. Her educational background includes: PhD in Arabic Literature from Columbia University (2003) Postdoctoral Fellowship at St. John's College Research Centre (2002-2006) British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship at Oxford University (2007-2010) Dr. Hammond's research focuses on Arabic women's writing across historical periods, examining grammatical gender and sexed subjectivities in Arabic and Persian literary traditions, the intersection of madness and poetry, and Arabic-language cinema with particular attention to early Egyptian melodramas. Her scholarly approach combines literary analysis with gender studies and cultural history perspectives. Her recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on recovering and analyzing historical women writers and poets from the Islamic world. Through works like "Rayhana 'The Mad': Her Persona and Poetry" (2024) and biographical entries on figures such as Sara al-Halabiyya, Hafsa bint al-Hajj, and Taqiyya bint Ghayth al-Suriyya, she has contributed significantly to expanding the canon of women's literary contributions in pre-modern Islamic societies. Her book "Arab World Cinemas: A Reader and Guide" (2024) represents a major contribution to film studies of the region. Dr. Hammond has received notable recognition for her work: Winner of the First Annual Journal of Middle East Women's Studies Book Award (2011) for "Beyond Elegy: Classical Arabic Women's Poetry in Context" British Academy Midcareer Fellowship (2017-2018) British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship (2007-2010) External Examiner for Oxford University (2018-2020) and Exeter University (2018-2021) Associate Editor for the Palgrave Encyclopedia of Women's Writing in the Global Middle Ages (2022) Dr. Hammond has supervised doctoral students including Kubin, K. (2023) on "Affects of Shame and the Postcolonial: Identity, Recognition and Belonging" and Boulos, T. (2023) on "Breaking the Silence: Pain, Torture, Resistance and Bearing Witness in the writings of Palestinian Prisoners of War and Administrative Detainees." She has served on editorial boards and as Book Review Editor for Middle Eastern Literatures (2014-2015). Her scholarly influence extends through invited talks at institutions including Oxford, UCL, and King's College London, as well as appearances on BBC Radio 4's "In Our Time."
Sarah Hill is Associate Professor of Music at the University of Oxford and Fellow of St Peter's College, specializing in the historiography of popular music. Her research examines the intersection of musical cultures with political activism, particularly focusing on Welsh-language music preservation, countercultural movements, and music's role in identity formation. Dr. Hill's monograph 'San Francisco and the Long 60s' (Bloomsbury, 2016) offers a microhistory of the Haight-Ashbury music scene and its contemporary legacy. Current projects include co-editing 'The Oxford Handbook of Progressive Rock' and investigating women rock critics' contributions to second-wave feminism. As Coordinating Editor of Popular Music journal since 2012, she maintains active engagement with international music research communities. Dr. Hill was elected Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales in 2023.
