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. Caterina Albano is a Reader at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London. She holds a PhD in Renaissance Studies (London University, 1993–1998) and specializes in interdisciplinary research at the intersection of art, medical sciences, and cultural theory. Her work explores the cultural history of emotion, politics of memory, and contemporary art practices, with a focus on themes like fear, vulnerability, and the unconscious. Albano is a prominent curator, organizing exhibitions such as Psychoanalysis: The Unconscious in Everyday Life (Science Museum, London) and Crossing Over: Art, Science and Biotechnologies (Royal Institution). She also co-founded the Art and Science Research Group at CSM and chairs the College Research Degree Subcommittee. Her research integrates curatorial practice with academic inquiry, addressing topics such as neuroscience, biogenetics, and the ethics of air in contemporary art. Albano supervises doctoral students in art and curatorial practices and actively contributes to academic discourse through editorial roles and grant assessments. She speaks multiple languages, including Italian, French, German, and English, and her work bridges art, science, and humanities to explore complex cultural and societal issues.

• Art
• Cultural History
• Medical Sciences
• +7 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

Tim Wade is a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow at the Centre for the Study of the Renaissance at the University of Warwick. He previously served as a lecturer and junior research fellow at the University of Oxford, demonstrating a strong foundation in early modern intellectual history and Renaissance studies. His research centers on the history of the book, early modern readership, marginalia, Renaissance humanism, the Reformation, Erasmus, Christian Hebraism, and transnational scholarly networks within the Republic of Letters. He is particularly interested in how ideas were transmitted across Europe through institutions such as printing shops, universities, and diplomatic missions. His recent publications focus on key figures like Reginald Pole and Richard Pace, examining their roles in humanist and ecclesiastical scholarship. His current project, England’s Roads to Renaissance , explores English scholarly engagement in continental Europe between 1490 and 1550, drawing on travel accounts, letters, marginalia, and printed books. Scientific Awards: Leverhulme Early Career Fellow Tim Wade has advised no students listed in the provided text and has not mentioned specific grants beyond his fellowship. He is affiliated with the Centre for the Study of the Renaissance at Warwick, a hub for interdisciplinary research on early modern European culture and thought.

• History of the Book
• Early Modern Intellectual History
• Renaissance Humanism
• +7 more

Dr. Elizabeth Goldring is an Associate Fellow at the Centre for the Study of the Renaissance, University of Warwick. She is a leading scholar in Tudor art, court culture, and portraiture, with a strong interdisciplinary focus bridging art, literature, and history. Her research is deeply rooted in archival discoveries, and she has authored and edited several authoritative works on Elizabethan England. Education and Fellowships: Postdoctoral Fellow, The Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art, London (2002–2003) Postdoctoral Research Fellow, The John Nichols Project, University of Warwick (2004–2007) Warnock Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow, Yale University (2000) Research Interests: Dr. Goldring specializes in Tudor painting, 16th- and 17th-century court culture, England and the Continental Renaissance, portraiture and biography, and the reception of Tudor art and literature. Her work explores the intersections of visual culture, political symbolism, and literary expression in early modern England. Publication Trends: Her recent publications focus on Nicholas Hilliard, Robert Dudley, and Elizabethan progresses, combining archival research with art historical analysis. The articles reveal a consistent engagement with miniature painting, royal portraiture, courtly entertainments, and the material culture of the Tudor elite. Scientific Awards: Winner of the Apollo Book Prize (2019) Winner of the Roland H. Bainton Prize for Art History (2014) Winner of the MLA Prize for a Scholarly Edition (2014) Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries (2023) Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (2016) Advising and Grants: Dr. Goldring has served as a consultant for English Heritage, the BBC, and the National Archives. She has secured multiple research and publication grants from the Paul Mellon Centre, the Society for Renaissance Studies, and the Francis Haskell Memorial Fund. She has also organized major academic conferences and served on editorial boards including The Burlington Magazine. Labs and Teams: She has led collaborative editorial projects such as the new edition of John Nichols's The Progresses and Public Processions of Queen Elizabeth I and co-edited volumes on the Inns of Court and court festivals, working with international teams of scholars.

• Tudor painting
• 16th- and 17th-century court culture
• England and the Continental Renaissance
• +7 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

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

Dr. Thalia Allington-Wood is Lecturer in Art History c.1300-1700 and Convener of the MA in Art History, Curatorship and Renaissance Culture at the Warburg Institute, University of London. Her research focuses on the materiality and viewing environments of art objects, canon formation, periodization, and visual historiography of art history. She holds a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Manchester and an MA/PhD in Art History from UCL. Previously taught at Sotheby's Institute of Art, UCL, and Oxford Brookes. Research interests include interdisciplinary approaches to Renaissance art history, outdoor sculpture, material culture, and reception studies. Her current project examines the Sacro Bosco of Bomarzo, analyzing its local environment, representation of antiquity, and 20th-century reception in photography and film. Publications explore Renaissance afterlives, exhibition history, and gender issues. Recent articles analyze the Sacro Bosco's cultural significance and material contexts. AHRC Research Award UCL Fellowship Dumbarton Oaks Research Fellowship Teaches core modules in Renaissance art methods and supervises MA dissertations. Coordinates international collaborations on elements in Renaissance society.

• Renaissance Art History
• Early Modern Visual Culture
• Italian Sculpture
• +4 more

Katrin Schreiter is a Senior Lecturer in German and History at King’s College London, with a joint appointment in the Departments of History and Languages, Literatures & Cultures. She holds a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania and has taught at institutions including the University of Pennsylvania and the Universität Augsburg. Her research focuses on 20th-century German history, emphasizing Cold War dynamics, material culture, and economic-cultural intersections. She is a Fellow at the Stockholm School of Economics’ Center for Sports and Business and a visiting scholar at the Università Ca’ Foscari Venice (2024). Education: PhD in Modern European History (University of Pennsylvania, 2012), MA in Diplomatic History (Ohio State University, 2005), Postgraduate Fellowship (Freie Universität Berlin). Research Interests: Cold War cultural politics, material culture methodologies, German division studies, and European economic integration. Her recent projects include a comparative study of port cities in early colonial empires and a book on national branding in divided Germany. Schreiter has curated exhibitions, such as ‘Things We Keep,’ blending oral history and material culture. She frequently engages with media, including BBC World Service and the Imperial War Museum’s podcast series. Awards: Fellow at the Center for Sports and Business, Stockholm School of Economics Grants & Projects: Lead investigator for ‘Citizenship after Hitler: Continuity and Change in Citizenship Law in the Federal Republic of Germany since 1949’ (Alfred Landecker Foundation, 2021–2026). Co-Investigator on ‘Everyday Experience and Cultural Practice: German History Revisited’ (2016–2019). Labs/Teams: Research Centre for German Transnational Relations at King’s College London, examining Germany’s global economic and cultural roles.

• 20th-century European history
• Cold War studies
• Material culture studies
• +3 more

Richard Marggraf Turley holds a Personal Chair as Professor in the Department of English & Creative Writing at Aberystwyth University, where he has been an active faculty member since 1994. He teaches undergraduate and postgraduate modules including Romantic Eroticism (EN38320), Literatures of Surveillance (EN35320), and Romanticism's Radical Cultures (ENM2540), while supervising PhD candidates in both Literary Studies and Creative Writing. Educated with a BA and PhD from the University of Leeds, his scholarly foundation in Romantic literature informs his dual career as critic and creative writer. His academic profile shows continuous research output since 1994 with 61 publications, including books on Keats, food studies, and creative writing pedagogy. Turley's research centers on Romantic-era poetry with pioneering work on literary topology, food representation, and surveillance theory. He has authored Keats's Boyish Imagination (2004), Bright Stars: John Keats, Barry Cornwall and Romantic Literary Culture (2009), and co-written Food and the Literary Imagination (2014). His forthcoming 2026 monograph Fantastic Shapes: Topology and Textuality in Romantic Poetry extends his spatial analysis of Romantic texts. As an award-winning poet, he published the Wales Book of the Year-winning collection Wan Hu's Flying Chair (2009) and the crime novel The Cunning House (2015), demonstrating his commitment to creative practice. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals persistent engagement with Keatsian studies while expanding into interdisciplinary terrain. His work increasingly intersects with sustainability (via food/watermill projects), biometrics (The Quantified Romantics), and digital surveillance, showing how Romantic poetry offers frameworks for contemporary crises. The recurring focus on spatial theory across 2018-2023 outputs demonstrates his unique topology approach. His scientific awards reflect both scholarly and creative excellence: Keats-Shelley Prize for Poetry (First Prize, 2008) Wales Book of the Year 'People's Choice' Award (2010) for Wan Hu's Flying Chair ASLE/Inspire UKI Prize Essay (First Prize, 2013) shared with Archer and Thomas Turley supervises PhD students in Literary Studies and Creative Writing with 10 supervised works recorded. His grant capture includes externally funded projects like 'The Quantified Romantics: Arts and Biometrics' (2015, Arts and Humanities Research Council) exploring biometric analysis of Romantic poetry, and 'Edible Wales: Sustenance and locality' (2014, Creative Exchange Wales Network) investigating food sustainability through literary lenses. These grants demonstrate his successful bridging of humanities with scientific and social contexts. As Co-Director of the Keats Foundation International Keats Conference, he leads a major scholarly initiative, organizing annual conferences through 2025. His collaborative Arts-Science projects include BBC appearances and cross-disciplinary work with biometric researchers, while his role in the 'Supervised Work (10)' metric confirms active mentorship. Public engagement via 12 press/media contributions (including Netflix adaptation commentary) shows his commitment to translating academic work for broader audiences.

• Romantic Literature
• John Keats Studies
• Barry Cornwall Studies
• +6 more

Thomas Clark is a Visiting Research Fellow at King’s College London’s Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures within the Faculty of Arts & Humanities. He holds teaching roles at both King’s College London and the University of Oxford, where he has been a Stipendiary Lecturer since 2017. His research focuses on Early Modern Iberian literature, gender studies, and classical reception across European traditions. B.A. Spanish & Portuguese (Wadham College, Oxford, 2014) MSt Spanish & Portuguese (St. Anne’s College, Oxford, 2015) DPhil Spanish & Portuguese (St. Catherine’s College, Oxford, 2019) His research explores intersections between Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese literary traditions, with particular focus on epic poetry, medieval drama, and representations of marginalized groups. Clark’s current projects include a monograph on Lope de Vega’s dramatization of colonial epics, a critical edition of a 16th-century Portuguese comedy, and studies analyzing gender and sexuality in works by María de Zayas and António Ferreira. His articles critically examine mythological reinterpretations, gender dynamics in pastoral poetry, and subversive literary techniques in Early Modern works. Awards include AHRC funding and the MHRA Post-Doctoral Scholarship. Clark teaches across medieval to modern Iberian literature, language, and translation, with a focus on interdisciplinary approaches. He has supervised research projects on topics ranging from classical reception to colonial narratives.

• Early Modern Epic Poetry
• Medieval and Early Modern Drama
• Gender Studies in Literature
• +4 more

Dr. Giulio Pertile is a Senior Lecturer in the School of English at the University of St Andrews. His research focuses on Renaissance literature, particularly lyric poetry, affect theory, and pastoral traditions. He has published extensively on authors like Andrew Marvell, John Ashbery, and figures in early modern English and Italian literature. Pertile co-edited the anthology Imagining Andrew Marvell at 400 (2022) and authored Feeling Faint: Affect and Consciousness in the Renaissance (2019). PhD supervision: Nilanjana Goswami Research interests include: 17th-century lyric, Renaissance poetics, comparative literature, and pastoral forms Publications span peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and critical reviews in journals like Modern Philology and Romanticism His recent work analyzes topics such as cosmic languishing in Spenser and Tasso, sleep imagery in sonnet sequences, and Ashbery's modern pastoral reimaginings. Pertile's research bridges historical analysis with contemporary critical frameworks, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to literary studies.

• Renaissance Literature
• Poetry
• Literary Criticism
• +3 more

Chi-Fang Sophia Li is Professor in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literature at National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU), Taiwan. She earned her BA and MA from the University of Oxford and her MA and PhD in Renaissance Studies from the University of Warwick. Her academic career at NSYSU progressed from Assistant Professor (2009), to Associate Professor (2015), Distinguished Associate Professor (2017), and full Professor (2022). She has held visiting positions at the Centre for the Study of the Renaissance at Warwick and is an Honorary Research Fellow there. Her educational background includes: BA and MA, University of Oxford MA and PhD in Renaissance Studies, University of Warwick (2009) Her research centers on English Renaissance drama, particularly the works of Thomas Dekker and his engagement with Chaucer and classical traditions. She explores the influence of Italian novelle, Machiavelli, and the Italian Wars on English literary geography. Her interdisciplinary approach extends to the intersection of Shakespeare and music, examining how composers interpret Shakespearean texts. She has led multiple long-term research projects, including 'Italy under the English Quill' and 'Machiavelli under the English Quill', funded by Taiwan’s Ministry of Science and Technology. Her recent publications reflect a consistent focus on Dekker’s dramaturgy, collaborative practices in Jacobean theatre, and the reception of classical and Italian sources. The articles demonstrate a trend toward performance studies, intertextuality, and cultural history, with recurring themes of urban representation, political ideology, and literary legacy. Her scientific honors include: Junior Investigators Research Award from Academia Sinica (2016) NSYSU Distinguished Associate Professorship (2017–2020) Multiple NSYSU Research and Teaching Excellence Awards She has supervised research projects and mentored students, though specific advisees are not listed. She has been Principal Investigator on numerous grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology and the College of Liberal Arts at NSYSU. Her public engagement includes organizing lecture-concerts on Shakespeare and music and delivering public lectures on Shakespearean themes for medical humanities and cultural institutions. She is active in professional associations such as the Renaissance Society of America and the Taiwan Association of Classical, Medieval and Renaissance Studies, where she has served as treasurer and board member. She leads the 'Composers' Shakespeare' research project and has organized international conferences, demonstrating leadership in both scholarly and public academic spheres.

• English Renaissance Drama
• Shakespeare Studies
• Thomas Dekker
• +7 more