Julia Lawton is Professor of Health & Social Science at the Usher Institute , University of Edinburgh, where she leads the Edinburgh Qualitative Health Research Group (EQual) . Her work focuses on improving healthcare delivery through qualitative research, particularly in chronic condition self-management and health inequalities. Education: PhD and BA in Social Anthropology from University of Cambridge Research Themes: Diabetes self-management, health technology adoption, inequities in healthcare access, process evaluations of complex interventions Key Projects: UNBIASED (diabetes technology disparities), REDUCE (diabetic foot ulcers), CL4P-CF (cystic fibrosis-related diabetes), AiDAPT (pregnancy diabetes management) Her recent publications highlight innovations in diabetes care, including closed-loop systems, structured education, and addressing disparities in technology access for underserved populations. She collaborates extensively with NHS entities and international institutions.
Dr. Abby Haynes is a Research Fellow at the Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, affiliated with the Institute for Musculoskeletal Health and Faculty of Medicine and Health. Her work focuses on physical activity for healthy ageing and people with disability, employing qualitative research, systems thinking, and realist evaluation. Key research themes include: Healthy Ageing Disability and Physical Activity Implementation Science Knowledge Mobilisation Her recent publications analyze: Inclusive sports programs for children with disability Fall prevention in acute hospitals Telehealth physiotherapy for aged care Realist evaluations of yoga and dance interventions Systems thinking in public health policy These emphasize public health, gerontology, and health equity approaches. Grants include MRFF-funded projects on traumatic brain injury rehabilitation (2024), fall prevention (2023), and aged care mobility (2022).
Professor Yvonne Rydin is Chair of Planning Environment and Public Policy at The Bartlett School of Planning, University College London (UCL), where she has been based since 2006. She currently holds a 50 % part-time appointment at UCL and previously spent 16 years at the London School of Economics in the Department of Geography and Environment. Education PhD in Urban and Regional Planning Studies, University College London (1984) BA (Hons) in Land Economy, University of Cambridge (1978) Research Interests Professor Rydin is an internationally recognised scholar in governing for sustainability. Her work spans urban green space management, community energy, retail planning, and post-growth urban futures. Conceptually, she mobilises network metaphors (including social capital) and discourse analysis to unpack governing processes, while also drawing on socio-technical studies to examine large-scale energy infrastructure. A long-standing strand of research interrogates knowledge production within planning, scrutinising classificatory systems such as BREEAM and sustainability indicators and exploring the implications of socio-materiality. Her forthcoming monograph Planning without Growth (Policy Press, 2025) extends her agenda on low-growth planning by investigating how embedded and new knowledges can support alternative local economic models. Research Outputs & Trends Since 2018 she has published extensively on post-growth planning, regulatory theory, digital tools in participation, and diverse economies. Recent articles in Planning Theory, Built Environment and Planning Practice & Research articulate critical perspectives on moving beyond pro-growth orthodoxies and re-tooling the planning profession. Scientific Awards & Recognition While no specific awards are listed, Professor Rydin has held numerous prestigious roles: member of the RAE 2014 panel, invited oral evidence to the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee, participant in the Raynsford Review of Planning, and repeated evaluator for the Norwegian Research Council, Finnish Academy, ESRC and FORMAS. Advising & Grants She has supervised collaborative Engineering Doctorate (EngD) studentships with industrial partners BRE Global and Buro Happold (2011-2020), and co-taught on the MSc Sustainable Urban Development at Oxford University’s Department for Continuing Education (2014-2018). Labs & Teams Professor Rydin served as Director of the UCL Environment Institute (2010-2013) and leads teaching on the postgraduate module Planning for Sustainability and Inclusion alongside Dr Yasminah Beebeejaun.
Dr. Karen Birkenhead is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Implementation Science at the Sydney School of Health Sciences, University of Sydney. She holds a PhD in Human Movement (2018) and a Master of Sports Nutrition by Research (2014). Her research focuses on cardiovascular diseases, nutrition, exercise physiology, and genetic medicine, with a current project implementing a shared care model for familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). She previously worked as a Registered Dietitian in Canada for 14 years, specializing in public health, sports nutrition, telehealth, and chronic disease management. Education: PhD in Human Movement, 2018 Masters in Sports Nutrition, 2014 Her research themes include Obesity, Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease, Healthy Ageing, and Lifespan Health. Key projects include translational research grants for FH care models and perioperative nutrition strategies. She has received awards such as the HDR Student Research Grant (2015) and the USCIRS (2014). Dr. Birkenhead collaborates with organizations like the Nutrition Society of Australia and Professionals in Nutrition for Exercise and Sport. Her work bridges clinical practice and research, aiming to improve patient outcomes through evidence-based interventions.
John Gledhill is an Associate Professor of Global Governance in the Department of International Development at the University of Oxford, where he teaches courses on Global Governance and Diplomacy, Peacebuilding & Statebuilding, and Power, Conflict, & the Arts. He is a Fellow of St. Cross College and actively collaborates with international institutions such as the Asia-Pacific Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (University of Queensland), the Conflict Research Society, and OxPeace, a multidisciplinary peace research network at Oxford. PhD in Government from Georgetown University BA in History and Political Science from Trinity College, Dublin His research spans peace and conflict studies, focusing on the political dimensions of development, nonviolent resistance, and the role of music and the arts in conflict and peacebuilding. Recent work examines UN peacekeeping withdrawal legacies, the economic impacts of peace operation exits, and the integration of arts into peace processes. The 15 most recent publications reflect his expertise in UN peacekeeping dynamics, state formation, and the intersection of arts and conflict. These include studies in the European Journal of International Relations , Journal of Global Security Studies , and International Peacekeeping , alongside book chapters and encyclopedia entries addressing transitional justice, regime transitions, and globalization's effects on emerging economies. Scientific Awards: Teaching Excellence Award, University of Oxford (2013) Teaching Excellence Award, London School of Economics (prior to 2013) John has supervised research students Sabrina Brandt and Rachel Nguyen-Morrow. His projects include ESRC-funded studies on post-peacekeeping withdrawal outcomes and investigations into music's role in UN peacebuilding. He contributes to academic governance through roles on the Conflict Research Society's Governing Council and the OxPeace Steering Committee.
Professor Michaela Benson is Professor of Public Sociology at Lancaster University's School of Social Sciences. She is internationally recognised for her leadership in Migration Studies and Urban Sociology, with her work critically examining Brexit and migration, lifestyle migration, class, space and place, and self-build housing. Since 2022 she also serves as Chief Executive of The Sociological Review , a charitable foundation advancing public sociology. Education & Recognition: Michaela holds a PhD and was elected Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (FAcSS) in 2025. Research Interests: Her research agenda centres on the intersections of migration, citizenship, and urban life, with a particular focus on how these phenomena are reshaped by Brexit. She explores lifestyle migration as a lens on class, coloniality, and identity, and interrogates the meanings of home and housing through self-build practices. Her work is marked by a commitment to reflexive, empirical methodologies and public engagement. Scholarly Output: Across more than 60 publications, her recent articles span critiques of post-Brexit bordering practices, the colonial legacies shaping UK migration regimes, and innovative pedagogies in sociology. A consistent theme is the biopolitical and geopolitical dimensions of migration governance, analysed through ethnographic and multi-sensory methods. Awards & Fellowships: Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (FAcSS) – 2025 British Academy Mid-Career Fellowship – 2020-2021 Research Funding & Projects: Brexit, citizens’ rights and British Citizens in the EU-27 5 years on – ESRC consultancy (2025) Rebordering Britain and Britons after Brexit (MIGZEN) – ESRC (2021-2024) BrExpats: Freedom of Movement, Citizenship and Brexit in the lives of Britons resident in the European Union – ESRC (2017-2019) PhD Supervision & Research Groups: She welcomes doctoral researchers working on migration and citizenship, Brexit, class, home and housing, and urban sociology, especially those employing qualitative or ethnographic methods. She is affiliated with the Centre for Alternatives to Social and Economic Inequalities and the Centre for Health Futures .
Dr. Jonghyuk Cha is a Senior Lecturer in Information Systems and Project Management at Westminster Business School, University of Westminster. Previously, he worked as a Research Associate at the University of Manchester and held roles in software/IT consulting. He holds a PhD and MSc from Alliance Manchester Business School and a degree in Industrial Systems Engineering and Business Management from Yonsei University. He was also a Visiting Research Fellow at South Korea's Science and Technology Policy Institute. His research focuses on digital transformation, digital government, organisational project management, and benefits realisation. Key publications explore owner challenges in major projects, digital transformation dynamics, and government transformation strategies. He has been awarded the 2021 JAIS Best Paper Honorable Mention, 2021 BAM Best Developmental Paper Award, and 2017 ICIS Best Paper-a-Thon Paper Award. Teaching modules include Digital Innovation, Project Management, Social Media for Business, and Web-enabled Business. He is part of the Centre for Digital Business Research, contributing to interdisciplinary studies on digital business and organisational transformation.
Professor Nicola Randall is a Professor of Evidence Synthesis and Agroecology at Harper Adams University, where she leads the Centre for Evidence-Based Agriculture (CEBA) and the Agroecology for Sustainable Agri-food (AFS) research group. She holds a BSc (Hons), PhD, and a CertTHE in higher education. Her research focuses on agricultural ecology, sustainable food systems, and evidence-based decision-making in environmental and agricultural policies. She chairs the EU-NESA Network (CA23107 2024-2028) and serves on advisory boards for organizations such as the Food Standards Agency and Ceres2030. Her work emphasizes systematic reviews, evidence synthesis methodologies, and bridging gaps between research and policy. She has secured over £1 million in research funding, collaborating with bodies like BBSRC, DEFRA, and EU H2020. Education: BSc (Hons), PhD, CertTHE Teaching Roles: Course leader for Agroecology MSc, module leader for Fundamentals of Agroecology and International Agroecology Professional Memberships: British Ecological Society (Agroecology Committee), Society for Conservation Biology Her research spans topics like regenerative agriculture, pollinator ecology, and humane slaughter practices. She advises on international projects, including FAO initiatives and smallholder farming interventions in Africa. Her work bridges academic research with practical applications for sustainable agriculture and environmental governance.
Dr. Heike Liebau is a Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Research Unit 'Representations of the Past as a Mobilising Force' at the Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient (ZMO) in Berlin. Her work focuses on South Asian history, particularly colonial and post-colonial periods, intercultural encounters, and the politics of historical memory. She leads the DFG-funded project 'Das Moderne Indien in deutschen Archiven 1706–1989' (MIDA) and has directed several major research initiatives, including the HERA project on cultural exchange during World War I. She is an expert on the Tranquebar Mission and translocal knowledge production between Europe and South Asia. Her research interests include: Colonial and post-colonial history Historical authenticity and iconization Missionary history and religious exchange World War I in global contexts Archival studies and knowledge transfer Public history and museum curation The 15 most recent publications reflect a strong trend toward interdisciplinary work combining history, cultural studies, and memory politics. Her articles and edited volumes explore themes such as the construction of historical icons, the role of authenticity in populist discourse, the lives of South Asian prisoners of war in Germany, and the legacy of missionary scholarship. She frequently examines how historical narratives are shaped by power, ideology, and cultural context. Scientific awards: Preis für Übersetzungförderung des Börsenvereins des Deutschen Buchhandels (2010) Dr. Liebau has advised numerous research projects and publications. She has not publicly listed formal PhD or Master’s students. She has led major funded research programs, including DFG and HERA grants, and has collaborated extensively with international scholars. She has curated exhibitions and contributed to public media, including Deutschlandfunk. She is actively involved in academic networks and editorial work, including as section editor for 'South Asia' in the '1914-1918-online' encyclopedia. She has been affiliated with ZMO since 1996, holding successive research fellowships and leadership roles. She previously worked at the Francke Foundations in Halle and was a research fellow at Humboldt University. Her career demonstrates sustained engagement with German-Indian historical relations, archival research, and the cultural dimensions of colonialism.
Marta Conde is a Long Term Researcher at the Institute of Earth Sciences Jaume Almera (GEO3BCN), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), and holds a Ramón y Cajal fellowship (2024). Her research addresses socio-environmental conflicts, environmental justice, and science-activism dynamics, with critical focus on extractive industries, deep sea mining governance, and post-growth transitions. Her educational background: PhD in Environmental Science, Institute for Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), Autonomous University of Barcelona (2015) Master in Interdisciplinary Studies in Environmental, Economic and Social Sustainability, ICTA, UAB (2009) Postgraduate in Environmental Science, Birkbeck College, University of London (2001) Graduate in Agricultural Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona (2000) Conde's research integrates Science and Technology Studies (STS) with political ecology to examine knowledge co-production in environmental conflicts. Her work spans extractive industry impacts, deep sea mining governance, urban gentrification, and degrowth theory, emphasizing community-led solutions for environmental justice and just transitions. This interdisciplinary approach bridges academic research with activist movements to challenge conventional sustainability paradigms. Her major recognitions include: Ramón y Cajal fellowship (2024) - Spain's premier research talent program I3 certification (2022) - National excellence in research leadership Marie Sklodowska Curie fellowship for Governing Resource Urbanisation (2021) Co-PI for Recercaixa project 'Activism Mobilising Science' (2018) Conde has secured competitive funding across international institutions: Marie Sklodowska fellowships at University of Queensland (2023) and ICTA-UAB (2025), EU project coordination for NATURVATION and B-MINCOME (2018), and Recercaixa project leadership at Pompeu Fabra University/John Hopkins (2020). Her Durham University affiliation (2016) established her early research trajectory in critical geography. Embedded in global research networks, she collaborates with the Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining and EU environmental governance initiatives, driving transdisciplinary work that connects academic rigor with frontline environmental justice movements through sustained knowledge co-production practices.
Enda Brophy is Associate Professor in the School of Communication at Simon Fraser University, where he researches and teaches at the intersection of political economy, labour, and social change in communication industries. Education & Training: While his formal degrees are not explicitly listed, Brophy’s extensive translation work of foundational Italian autonomist texts and his co-editorship of critical academic volumes signal advanced training in critical theory, labour studies, and communication research. Research Interests: Political economy of communication and digital media Labour and collective organising in media, cultural and creative industries Call-centre work and global outsourcing Platform labour and gig-economy dynamics Autonomist Marxist theory and worker inquiry Digital debt, financialisation, and resistance Student movements and university governance Precarious employment and creative labour Analysing his recent publications (2015-2020) reveals a consistent focus on the transformation of labour processes under communicative capitalism: from call-centre scripting and surveillance to food-delivery platform work during COVID-19, and from unpaid internships in creative industries to emergent forms of tech-worker organising using digital tools. These works collectively map how digital infrastructures mediate, discipline, and occasionally enable new solidarities among precarious workers. Awards & Recognition: 2018 Canadian Association of Work and Labour Studies Book of the Year Award for Language Put to Work 2018 Canadian Communication Association Gertrude J. Robinson Book of the Year Award for Language Put to Work Confederation of University Faculty Associations of BC Academic of the Year Award Research Grants & Collaborative Projects: He co-leads Cultural Workers Organize , a multi-investigator SSHRC-funded project with Greig de Peuter, Nicole Cohen, Kate Oakley and Marisol Sandoval, investigating collective responses to precarity among cultural and creative workers in Canada and the UK. Editorial board memberships at Studies in Political Economy , Work Organisation, Labour and Globalisation , and tripleC further anchor his scholarly leadership. Graduate Supervision & Teaching: Brophy currently teaches CMNS 130 Communication and Social Change and actively supervises MA and PhD students working on labour, social movements, and digital media. He is formally associated with SFU’s Labour Studies Program as an Associate.
Professor Flora Cornish is a Professor in Qualitative Research Methodology at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Department of Methodology. She holds a PhD in Social Psychology from LSE (2004) and an MSc in Social Research Methods from LSE's Department of Methodology. Prior to joining LSE in 2011, she held positions at the University of Cambridge and Glasgow Caledonian University. Her research focuses on community-led responses to public health crises, including studies on post-Grenfell Tower fire recovery, HIV prevention through sex worker-led initiatives, and participatory methods to democratize knowledge. She leads projects funded by LSE's Knowledge Exchange and Impact grants, emphasizing collaboration with communities, activists, and policymakers to improve disaster response and health equity. Key research areas include health activism, community mobilisation, and qualitative methodology. She co-authored Qualitative Research for Development: A guide for practitioners and edited special issues on public health activism in Critical Public Health and Journal of Social & Political Psychology . Education: PhD in Social Psychology, LSE (2004) MSc in Social Research Methods, LSE (pre-2004) Her work critiques simplistic monitoring and evaluation practices in global health interventions, advocating for dialogical methodologies and participatory approaches. Recent studies highlight systemic barriers to long-COVID care in Brazil and the role of activism in reshaping public health narratives. Labs/Teams: Collaborations with community groups in Grenfell recovery initiatives, scholar-activists in health advocacy networks, and interdisciplinary teams at LSE. Grants: LSE Knowledge Exchange and Impact grant for community-led disaster recovery research.
Teresa Cristina de Freitas Gonçalves is an Associate Professor at the Department of Informatics, School of Sciences and Technology, University of Évora, where she has been employed since 1999. She serves as an integrated researcher at the ALGORITMI research centre and is the Director of the VISTA Lab (Video, Image, Speech and text Analysis Lab), the unit of the ALGORITMI research centre at University of Évora. Her leadership roles include Director of the Master programme in Informatics Engineering and deputy Director of both the Master programme in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science and the Doctoral program in Computer Science. She earned her PhD in Computer Science from University of Évora and a MSc degree in Informatics Engineering from New University of Lisbon. Her academic journey at University of Évora has included significant leadership positions including Head of the Computer Science Department (2011-2015), Director of the Bachelor programme in Informatics Engineering (2016-2021), and Deputy Director roles for various undergraduate and graduate programs. Dr. Gonçalves' research focuses on intelligent systems, particularly Machine Learning approaches, with substantial contributions in evolutionary algorithms, information extraction and retrieval, and supervised learning across multiple data modalities including tabular data, text (in both Portuguese and English), and images (medical and satellite). Her work bridges theoretical advances with practical applications in healthcare, remote sensing, and natural language processing. She has successfully supervised 6 doctoral theses, 19 master theses, and 3 postdocs, and currently mentors 5 doctoral and 6 master students from diverse international backgrounds including Bangladesh, Cabo Verde, Nepal, Philippines, India, Sri Lanka, China, Mongolia, and Portugal. Her publication record includes over 100 scientific articles indexed by Scopus with 640 citations and an h-index of 12, demonstrating significant international impact with 56% of her work involving international collaboration. Her recent research shows a strong trend toward applying advanced machine learning techniques to healthcare applications, information retrieval systems, and remote sensing analysis, with particular emphasis on transformer networks, learning-to-rank methodologies, and multimodal data analysis. Dr. Gonçalves has made substantial contributions to the academic community through her service as a reviewer for over 50 articles in prestigious international journals and conferences, and as chair for major international conferences including IDEAL 2023, PROPOR 2020, SKIMA 2017 and 2018, and CLEF 2016. She serves on the board of APRP (Associação Portuguesa de reconhecimento de Padrões) and as a jury member for APRP prizes for best MSc and PhD theses. Her current research portfolio includes coordination of the Horizon Europe MSCA Staff Exchange HarmonicAI project and local coordination of WP6 in the NewSpace Portugal mobilising agenda. She is also actively involved in numerous other international research initiatives including Interreg VI-B Sudoe SenforFire, PRR CANTE, La Caixa INCOME, Erasmus+ KA220-HED REDINEST, Interreg POCTEP TID4AGRO, and ATTRACT DIH projects. Previously, she led the FCT AI in the Public Administration SNS24.Scout.IA project and coordinated the FEDER R&D NIIAA project. As Director of the VISTA Lab, Dr. Gonçalves leads a dynamic research team focused on video, image, speech, and text analysis. The lab serves as the Évora hub of the ALGORITMI research centre and has established strong international collaborations. Under her leadership, the VISTA Lab has developed innovative approaches in medical image analysis, natural language processing for Portuguese, and satellite image classification, with applications spanning healthcare, environmental monitoring, and public administration.
Professor Emma Mawdsley is a leading scholar in Human Geography at the University of Cambridge, where she contributes to the Geographies of Knowledge Research Group . As a Fellow of Newnham College and Director of the Margaret Anstee Centre for Global Studies , her work bridges academic rigor with practical engagement in global development politics. BA in Geography (St. John’s College, Cambridge, 1989-1992) PhD in Geography (St. John’s College, Cambridge, 1992-1996) Academic trajectory: Lecturer (1996-2003), Senior Lecturer (2009-2014), Reader (2014-2022), Professor (2022-present) Her research interrogates the politics of global development , focusing on South-South Cooperation (especially India-Africa dynamics), financialisation of aid, and the UK’s shifting development agendas. She leads the ESRC-funded project ‘Development Consultants and Contractors’ , analyzing private-sector roles in ‘Aidland’. Recent publications highlight trends in South-South partnerships , innovative finance, and decolonial approaches. Awards include the Leverhulme Research Fellowship and recognition as a Royal Geographical Society medalist. She supervises PhD students on topics like Sino-Indian development cooperation and postcolonial governance. As Director of the Margaret Anstee Centre, she fosters interdisciplinary global studies, connecting academia to policy through initiatives like the India-UK Development Partnership Forum .
Professor Anna Sullivan serves as Director of the Centre for Research in Educational and Social Inclusion (CRESI) at the University of South Australia. Her research program focuses on creating socially inclusive educational environments through critical policy analysis and practical solutions to systemic challenges in education. Professor Sullivan's research centers on four interrelated areas: early career teachers' work and retention, school leadership and policy implementation, student behavior and discipline practices, and research translation into educational practice. Her approach employs critical policy studies to examine how educational policies are developed and enacted across different levels, with particular attention to how these processes include or exclude vulnerable populations. She has conducted significant research on teacher retention, school leadership approaches, and alternative disciplinary practices that avoid exclusionary measures. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a consistent focus on educational equity, teacher workforce sustainability, and inclusive disciplinary practices. Her work demonstrates a strong commitment to translating academic research into practical policy applications, with particular attention to vulnerable student populations and systemic barriers to inclusion. Her research consistently bridges theoretical frameworks with practical educational challenges facing Australian schools. Professor Sullivan has secured substantial research funding totaling $1.9 million, serving as Chief Investigator on multiple Australian Research Council projects including four ARC Linkage grants and one ARC Discovery project. Her collaborative research approach involves working with partner organizations to ensure findings directly inform education policy and practice internationally. She is recognized as an Australian leader in educational research communication, frequently appearing in media outlets to discuss issues related to student behavior, school discipline, and teacher retention. With over ten years of classroom teaching experience across Primary, Middle, and Secondary levels in South Australia, New South Wales, and England, Professor Sullivan brings practical insights to her research. As Director of CRESI, she leads a research center dedicated to creating more inclusive educational environments and has become a prominent voice influencing how education research is communicated to broader audiences.
