Find Academic Supervisors

Professor Matthew Treherne is a leading scholar in Italian literature at the University of Leeds, where he holds the position of Professor of Italian Literature in the School of Languages, Cultures and Societies within the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures. He currently serves as Pro-Dean for Research and Innovation, and co-directs the Leeds Centre for Dante Studies. His research bridges medieval and Renaissance literature with contemporary issues such as finance, ecology, and technology. PhD in Italian Literature, University of Cambridge (2007) Diploma in Management Studies, Judge Business School, University of Cambridge (2000) M.Phil in European Literature (Distinction), University of Cambridge (1999) BA in Modern and Medieval Languages (First-class), University of Cambridge (1997) Matthew Treherne's research focuses on Dante and late-medieval religious culture, with a strong emphasis on the liturgical imagination and theological discourse in poetry. He explores how Dante’s work can inform modern debates on the ecological crisis, financialisation, and time. His interdisciplinary approach integrates theology, philosophy, and cultural studies. He leads the project The Cultural Life of Money and Finance , which investigates how the humanities can shape financial futures. His recent publications include Dante’s ‘Commedia’ and the Liturgical Imagination and co-edited volumes on Dante’s theology. His recent scholarly articles and chapters show a consistent engagement with Dante’s theological and poetic structures, Tasso’s religious poetry, and the role of art and liturgy in early modern culture. Themes such as sacramentality, time, vision, and interdisciplinarity recur across his work, reflecting a deep commitment to understanding literature as a living, ethically engaged practice. University Teaching Fellowship Developmental University Teaching Fellowship Faculty of Arts Development Teaching Prize Treherne has supervised numerous PhD students and fosters research-led teaching, notably through projects like Discover Dante and the Leeds Dante Podcast . He has led major research initiatives, including the AHRC-funded Dante and Late Medieval Florence , and collaborates widely across disciplines and institutions. He is also active in public engagement, contributing to BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time and curating podcast series such as Conversations on Dante and Arts and Humanities Futures . He co-leads the Cultural Life of Money and Finance project with Invisible Flock, blending humanities research with creative practice.

• Medieval Italian Literature
• Renaissance Italian Literature
• Dante Studies
• +7 more

Professor Helena Sanson is a Full Professor of Italian, History of Linguistics, and Women's Studies at the University of Cambridge , where she is also a Fellow of Clare College and serves as Postgraduate Teaching and Examining Officer for the Italian Section. She joined Cambridge in 2005 after teaching at University College London (1998-2003) following her British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship. PhD from University of Reading (2002) Her interdisciplinary research focuses on the intersection of Italian linguistic history , literary culture , and gender studies from the Renaissance to post-Unification period. Particular emphasis includes women's contributions to linguistic thought , conduct literature analysis , and female roles in translation networks . Her work examines how women navigated language standardization, educational access, and literary production across social strata. Recent projects include Leverhulme-funded research on women's linguistic experiences in 18th-19th century Italy and co-edited volumes on transnational travelers' accounts and early modern female education . She founded the Women and Gender in Italy (1500-1900) book series and the journal Women Language Literature in Italy . Scientific awards include: British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship Leverhulme Research Fellowship Philip Leverhulme Prize CRASSH Early Career Fellowship Isaac Newton Trust grant Senior Visiting Fellowship at University of Bologna She supervises graduate research in topics spanning women's writing , linguistic thought , translation history , and cultural marginalization in 16th-20th century Italy. Her work bridges philology, literary criticism, and social history through rigorous textual analysis.

• History of Linguistics
• Italian Language and Literature
• Gender Studies
• +6 more

Dr. Hester Lees-Jeffries is a University Associate Professor at the University of Cambridge and Fellow of St Catharine's College, where she serves as Director of Studies in English. She earned her BA and MA (Hons.) from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, before completing her PhD at Cambridge as a Commonwealth Scholar. Her academic career includes a Research Fellowship at Magdalene College (2003-2006) and ongoing fellowship at St Catharine's since 2006. Her research focuses on Shakespeare and early modern literature, with particular expertise in performance studies, visual culture, and material textuality. She investigates topics including Renaissance textiles, costume semiotics, garden symbolism, and material objects in literature. Her interdisciplinary approach connects literary analysis with cultural history and performance theory. Lees-Jeffries maintains an active publication record with scholarly works spanning Shakespearean criticism, material culture studies, and Renaissance literature. Her research demonstrates consistent focus on textual materiality, performance interpretation, and interdisciplinary methodologies bridging literary analysis with visual and material culture. Her forthcoming publications include monographs on textile symbolism in Shakespeare and an introduction to Shakespeare's histories. Honors and Awards: Commonwealth Scholarship Research Fellowship, Magdalene College (2003-2006) Fellowship, St Catharine's College (since 2006) She coordinates exhibitions for the Centre for Material Texts and regularly contributes to Shakespeare Survey as London theater reviewer. Her innovative #SlowShakespeare projects provide daily literary analysis of Shakespeare's plays through social media platforms.

• Shakespeare Studies
• Early Modern Literature
• Performance Studies
• +4 more

Dr Alison John is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in Classics at All Souls College, University of Oxford (since 2021). Her research focuses on the literary and social history of the late antique West, particularly Gaul and Italy, with a specialization in Greek-Latin bilingualism and classical education. Her monograph Learning and Power in Late Antique Gaul (Cambridge University Press, 2025) examines the role of classical schools in Gallo-Roman politics and society. Current projects explore Greek use in Italy and Gaul (AD 300–650). Education: BA (Honours) in Classics & Medieval Studies, University of Ottawa (2008–2012) MA in Classics, University of Toronto (2012–2014) PhD in Classics, University of Edinburgh (2014–2018) Research Interests: Late Antique cultural transformations, bilingualism, classical education decline, Gallo-Roman intellectual networks, and textual transmission. Recent work emphasizes Greek’s role in post-Roman literary circles. Publications: Over 7 peer-reviewed articles (2020–2025), focusing on bilingualism in late antique Gaul, classical education’s political role, and Sidonius Apollinaris’ literary networks. Recent trends highlight interdisciplinary approaches to cultural memory and textual analysis. Awards: Leverhulme SAS Fellowship (2020–2021) SSHRC Doctoral Award (2014–2018) Multiple university scholarships (Edinburgh, Toronto, Ottawa) Teaching & Engagement: Taught courses on Suetonius, late antique Latin literature, and classical bilingualism. Organized conferences on Greek-Latin puzzle poetry (2023) and late antique literary salons. Active in academic societies (Classical Association). Labs/Teams: Collaborates with the Gallia docta? research project (Tübingen) and Celtic Conference in Classics networks. Coordinates interdisciplinary workshops on late antique textual practices.

• Cultural History of Late Antiquity
• Later Latin Literature
• Gaul and Italy in Late Antiquity
• +4 more

Professor Pamela Davidson is a distinguished scholar of Russian Literature at University College London's School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES). With over four decades of academic experience, she has held various leadership positions including Head of the Russian Department (2003-2006), Head of Teaching and Graduate Tutor (2012-2014), and currently serves as Admissions Tutor for Languages & Cultures programmes. Her scholarly work has significantly shaped the field of Russian literary studies, particularly in areas of Russian Symbolism, literary prophecy, and the interaction between religion and culture. Doctor of Philosophy, University of Oxford, 1984 Undergraduate studies in Russian, French and Italian, Newnham College, Cambridge Professor Davidson's research spans several interconnected areas within Russian and comparative literature. Her work on the "construction and dynamics of literary tradition" examines how Russian writers positioned themselves within broader cultural and historical contexts. She has made significant contributions to understanding "the interaction of religion and culture," particularly through her edited volume "Russian Literature and Its Demons," which opened up new interdisciplinary research avenues. Her long-standing interest in "Silver Age poetry" has focused extensively on Viacheslav Ivanov, whose work she has studied through multiple lenses including his engagement with Dante and classical antiquity. Most notably, she has developed an extensive body of work on "the representation of the writer as prophet in Russia," tracing this tradition from its biblical and classical roots through to the Soviet period. Professor Davidson's recent publications reveal a consistent focus on the prophetic dimension of Russian literature, with particular attention to Viacheslav Ivanov and Fedor Glinka. Her scholarship demonstrates a sophisticated interweaving of literary analysis, religious studies, and cultural history. Over the past decade, her work has increasingly examined how Russian writers engaged with biblical and classical traditions, often reinterpreting them within specifically Russian contexts. The recurring themes across her publications include the tension between Athens and Jerusalem in Russian thought, the role of the writer as moral authority, and the complex relationship between religious tradition and literary innovation. Her comparative approach frequently bridges Russian literature with Western European intellectual traditions, revealing unexpected connections and influences. Travelling Junior Research Fellowship at Queen's College Leverhulme Research Fellowship (2019-2021) Director of the CEELBAS Centre for Doctoral Training (2020-2021) Member of the AHRC Peer Review College of Assessors (2003-2007) As an academic mentor, Professor Davidson has supervised numerous doctoral students in Russian literature and thought, with particular expertise in 19th and early 20th century literature, Silver Age poetry, and comparative literature. Her leadership roles have included serving as Graduate Tutor and Chair of BA and MA Examination Boards at SSEES. In terms of research funding, she has successfully secured competitive grants including the Leverhulme Research Fellowship that supported her recent work on literary prophecy. Her collaborative projects have often involved international partnerships, particularly with Russian academic institutions including the Institute of Russian Literature (IRLI) in St Petersburg. Professor Davidson has also contributed to major scholarly initiatives such as the 12-volume academic edition of Ivanov's collected works. While Professor Davidson's work is primarily in humanities rather than laboratory-based research, she has been instrumental in building academic networks and collaborative projects. She served as Director of the CEELBAS Centre for Doctoral Training, liaising with the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and consortium members at Cambridge, Manchester and Oxford. Her long-standing collaboration with the St Petersburg Institute of Russian Literature has been particularly significant, resulting in the completion of the first comprehensive bibliography of Viacheslav Ivanov's works. Professor Davidson has also been active in the international scholarly community through her membership on the Board of Directors of the Foundation "Centro Studi e Ricerche Vjacheslav Ivanov" in Rome.

• Russian and comparative literature
• the interaction of religion and culture
• the construction and dynamics of literary tradition
• +3 more

Professor Simon Gilson FBA is the Agnelli-Serena Professor of Italian at the University of Oxford, affiliated with Magdalen College. He previously served as Professor of Italian at Warwick University (2010-2017), holding leadership roles including Chair of Italian and roles in the Arts Faculty. His academic journey began with degrees from Leeds and Cambridge Universities, followed by teaching at multiple institutions including Keio University in Tokyo. Gilson is a leading scholar in Dante studies, focusing on reception history, Renaissance commentary traditions, and the interplay between literature and medieval/scientific thought. His research explores Dante’s legacy in Renaissance Italy, particularly through commentaries by figures like Landino and Varchi. He has directed major projects like the AHRC-funded 'Envisioning Dante' and currently holds a Leverhulme Fellowship (2024-2027) for work on Petrarch. Gilson’s publications include monographs on Dante’s reception and edited volumes on Italian literature and philosophy. He has served as editor for Italian Studies and holds roles in scholarly societies including the Dante Society of America and the Society for Italian Studies. Key awards include Fellowship of the British Academy (2022) and honorary membership in Florence’s Dante Society. His teaching focuses on medieval and Renaissance Italian literature (c.1250-1600), blending textual analysis with cultural context. Collaborative work includes databases on vernacular Aristotelianism and Renaissance Petrarch commentary, reflecting his commitment to interdisciplinary scholarship.

• Dante Studies
• Renaissance Italian Literature
• Medieval and Renaissance Reception Studies
• +3 more

Professor Elena Lombardi is a distinguished academic in Italian Literature and Medieval Studies at the University of Oxford. She holds the prestigious Paget Toynbee Lectureship in Italian Medieval Studies and is a Fellow of Balliol College, while also serving as a Tutor at St. Peter’s College and Jesus College. Her academic journey includes a Laurea from the University of Pavia (thesis on Ugo Foscolo’s critical edition) and a Ph.D. from New York University (dissertation on Dante and medieval language theory). Before Oxford, she taught at McGill University and the University of Bristol. Her research focuses on Dante Alighieri and medieval intellectual history, particularly exploring intersections between theology, grammar, and poetry. Key works include Imagining the Woman Reader in the Age of Dante (2018) and The Syntax of Desire (2007). She co-edited The Oxford Handbook of Dante (2021), a seminal work in the field. Teaching specialties include medieval Italian poetry and Dantean studies. Her scholarship examines themes of desire, language, and intertextuality, with recent articles analyzing Dante’s Commedia through medieval theological frameworks. Active in academic service, she contributes to editorial projects and collaborates across institutions. No specific grants or awards are listed, though her extensive publication record underscores her scholarly impact.

• Italian Literature
• Medieval Studies
• Dante Studies
• +4 more

Professor Michael Burden is a Fellow in Music at New College, University of Oxford, and Professor of Opera Studies. His research focuses on the history of the London stage (1660–1860), emphasizing opera staging techniques, dance performance, and Henry Purcell’s music. A former Duff Cooper Literary Prize judge, he has directed Oxford’s New Chamber Opera and co-founded the Oxford Dance Symposium. Education: BA/MA from University of Adelaide; PhD from University of Edinburgh. Leadership: Past President of the British Society for 18th-century Studies, Visitor of the Ashmolean Museum, and RISM Trustee. His publications include studies on Shakespearean adaptation in opera, dance iconography, and libretto interventions. He co-edits the complete Stradella and John Eccles editions and leads the ongoing London Stage Project 1800–1900 , aiming to document 19th-century theatre calendars. Collaborative work includes the Oxford-Princeton grant on historical performance practices in London and New York. Scientific awards include his role as a Duff Cooper Prize judge, though no personal honors are listed. His teaching spans music history from Medieval to 21st-century, with specializations in opera historiography and analysis.

• Opera Studies
• Music History
• Dance Performance
• +3 more

Francesco Giusti is an Honorary Faculty Research Fellow at the University of Oxford and currently a Research Fellow (Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter) at Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main. He holds a PhD from the Italian Institute of Human Sciences and Sapienza University of Rome (2012), with postdoctoral fellowships at the University of York, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, and ICI Berlin. His research focuses on the Italian poetic tradition, lyric theory, and interdisciplinary cultural inquiry. Giusti coordinates the global 'Rethinking Lyric Communities' project, exploring lyric poetry’s role in community formation across historical and cultural contexts. At Oxford, he taught Italian literature from the medieval period to the present. His monographs include *Il desiderio della lirica* (2016) and *Canzonieri in morte* (2015), analyzing lyric ethics and creative desire. He edited volumes on lyric theory and co-authored works on world literature and elegiac traditions. His recent work investigates gestural communities and transcontextual lyric gestures, emphasizing open-ended poetic forms and their socio-political implications. Giusti’s articles span Dante, Petrarch, and modern poets like Montale and Sanguineti, addressing temporality, mourning, and environmental themes. He bridges literary analysis with philosophy, theology, and visual culture, advocating for transhistorical and transcultural approaches to poetry.

• Italian Literature
• Lyric Poetry
• Comparative Literature
• +7 more

Alan V. Murray serves as Professor of Medieval European History at the School of History within the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures, University of Leeds. He joined the university in 1988, directing the International Medieval Bibliography until 2024. His academic foundation includes: MA in Medieval History and German Language and Literature, University of St Andrews PhD in Medieval History, University of St Andrews Murray's research centers on five interconnected domains: prosopographical analysis of Crusader nobility in the Latin East (1095-1291); Christianization dynamics in the Baltic region through Sword Brethren and Teutonic Order historiography; comprehensive medieval warfare studies spanning tactics, logistics, and military music; evolution of tournaments from mass combats to specialized forms like jousts and pas d'armes; and Medieval German literature with emphasis on chronicles and crusade poetry. His multilingual publications (German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Estonian, Slovene) reflect deep interdisciplinary engagement. He received the Verbruggen Prize from De Re Militari for his biography of King Baldwin II of Jerusalem and holds Fellowship in the Royal Historical Society. As an educator, Murray supervises postgraduate researchers Jacob H. Deacon and Allison Emond while teaching undergraduate Crusades/Baltic Crusades modules and pioneering postgraduate courses including the world's only dedicated tournament studies program co-taught with Royal Armouries' Karen Watts. He actively contributes to the War Studies research group and maintains memberships in the Baltische Historische Kommission, Society for the Study of the Crusades and the Latin East, and Oswald von Wolkenstein-Gesellschaft.

• Crusades and the Latin East
• Medieval Warfare, Chivalry and Tournaments
• Medieval German Language and Literature
• +1 more

Dr Emily A. Winkler is a Lecturer in Medieval History at the University of Oxford, affiliated with St Edmund Hall and Hertford College, and an Associate Member of the Faculty of History. Her work bridges historical writing, political culture, and emotional history of the high Middle Ages, focusing on the British Isles, Anglo-Norman world, and North Sea zone. Educational Background: AB from Dartmouth College, USA MSt and DPhil from University of Oxford Research Interests center on medieval historical thought, phenomenology of lived experience, and cross-disciplinary analysis of art/architecture/archaeology. She investigates how medieval chroniclers framed the past through diplomatic relations, border concepts, conquest narratives, and emotional frameworks. Her project 'The Search for Parity' (2019–2022) examined ruler relationships in British chronicles. Scientific Awards : AHRC Early Career Research Grant (2018) Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship (2017–2019) John Cowdrey Junior Research Fellowship (2015–2018) Academic Leadership includes serving as Acquisitions Editor for Medieval Institute Publications and Vice President for Europe of the Haskins Society. She supervises graduate students in History and Medieval Studies, with past advisees including Harriet Strahl, Nia Moseley-Roberts, and Liam Fitzgerald.

• Medieval History
• Historical Writing
• Intellectual Culture of the High Middle Ages
• +9 more

Professor Marie-Chantal Killeen holds a dual affiliation at the University of Oxford: she is a Professor of French Literature within the Faculty of Medieval & Modern Languages and a Fellow of Lady Margaret Hall. Her expertise spans multiple linguistic and cultural domains, including French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Portuguese, Modern Greek, Czech, Polish, Catalan, Galician, Yiddish, and Other Slavonic languages. Her research focuses on post-war French narrative fiction with particular emphasis on 20th- and 21st-century female authors like Marguerite Duras, contemporary Life writing, modern French theatre, and Quebecois literature and cinema. She explores texts that challenge interpretive frameworks, such as works featuring disembodied voices and slippery confessional genres. Her recent projects include analyzing ‘uncanny voices’ in post-1980 narratives and interrogating the Mea culpa genre's narrative reliability. Professor Killeen teaches the MSt Special Subject in Life Writing and contributes to the Key Questions core course. She has supervised graduate research on diverse topics: extreme contemporary novels, post-1968 autobiography, Holocaust literary responses, and critical studies of figures like Annie Ernaux and Sophie Calle. Her pedagogical work bridges literature from the 19th century to the present and connects French thought with literary theory. Her research themes reflect interdisciplinary engagement—contemporary French studies, gender/sexuality analysis, and visual/material culture exploration. No awards are explicitly mentioned, though her extensive publication record and supervisory roles highlight scholarly impact. She maintains affiliations with Lady Margaret Hall and the Faculty’s research initiatives, contributing to the academic community through teaching, supervision, and publication in journals like Modern Language Review and French Studies .

• Post-War French Literature
• Contemporary Life Writing
• Modern French Theatre
• +4 more

Dr. Scott Annett is an Affiliated Lecturer in the Italian Department of the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics at the University of Cambridge, as well as an Affiliated Lecturer in the Faculty of Divinity. He also serves as a College Lecturer at Robinson College. His academic work bridges Italian literature, theology, and literary studies with a particular focus on Dante and Samuel Beckett. Dr. Annett specializes in the writing of Dante and Samuel Beckett, with current research extending to Primo Levi and the relationships between literature and theology. His scholarly interests span multiple literary traditions and periods, with particular expertise in: Samuel Beckett's poetics and prose Dante studies and medieval Italian literature Shakespearean literature Primo Levi's writings Literature and theological discourse Autobiography and self-representation in Italian culture Dr. Annett's recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on the intersection of literary form and philosophical/theological concerns, particularly examining how Dante's work resonates in later literary traditions including Beckett's modernist writing. His scholarship combines close textual analysis with broader theoretical frameworks, showing particular interest in syntax, narrative structure, and intertextual relationships across centuries of literary production. As an educator, Dr. Annett teaches across multiple departments and papers, including ITA3 (Italian Texts and Contexts), ITB2 (Translation from Italian), and IT4 (Autobiography and Self-Representation in Italian Culture) for the Italian program, as well as Religious Themes in Literature (B13) for Divinity and Early Medieval Literature for English. He also supervises Year Abroad and Optional Dissertations on Italian topics.

• Samuel Beckett
• Dante
• Shakespeare
• +5 more

Professor Emma Wilson is affiliated with the University of Cambridge as the Professor of French Literature and the Visual Arts in the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics. She is a Professorial Fellow at Corpus Christi College, where she serves as Director of Studies in Modern and Medieval Languages, Welfare Tutor, and College Harassment Officer. Her research focuses on: Contemporary visual culture Intersections of affect, memory, and trauma Gender and sexuality in cinema French and Italian film analysis Feminist film criticism Children's representation in media Key publications include monographs on Alain Resnais, Atom Egoyan, and Marguerite Duras, with recurring themes of mortality, maternal eroticism, and feminist vision. She is currently working on a book about Céline Sciamma's films and planning future research on Alice Rohrwacher's cinematic works. Her academic output demonstrates interdisciplinary ties between: Literary analysis and film studies Queer theory and feminist criticism Memory studies and visual culture Contemporary art practices and historical reflection French cinema and global film theory

• French Literature
• Contemporary Cinema
• Visual Arts
• +7 more

Dr. Calum Cunningham is a Tutor in History at the University of Stirling, specializing in Jacobite studies and broader Scottish history. He holds multiple degrees including a PhD in History (2017), and is qualified to teach across disciplines such as History, Classical Studies, and Psychology in Scotland. His research focuses on Jacobitism's political and cultural dimensions, including the criminalization of the movement, material culture, and the exiled Stuarts. He also explores Classical Studies' influence on Scottish history and intends to further investigate interdisciplinary connections between Scottish and European historical contexts. Awards include the 2022 Scottish Historical Review Trust Grant and 2018 Postgraduate Merit Scholarship. He was awarded an Associate Fellowship of the Royal Historical Society in 2023. Publications span Jacobite diasporas, the Stuart monarchy in Italy, and transatlantic historical influences. His work blends legal, cultural, and social history to illuminate marginalized narratives within the long eighteenth century.

• Jacobite Studies
• Scottish History
• Classical Studies
• +3 more